


Imbalance

by FC2000



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben is not all there in the head, Dark fic, Dark story means Dark twist ending :D, Drug Use, F/M, I moved the rating back to M, Obsessive Behavior, Snoke is his imaginary friend that tells him what to do, it's more plot than smut anyway, mentally disturbed, serial killer au, the darker take on the Reylo apartment AU fic, there's a few E spots if you know where to look ;)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2016-08-13
Packaged: 2018-06-03 21:56:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 33,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6628201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FC2000/pseuds/FC2000
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The new tenant at Niima Townhouse lives a disturbed life as an infamous and terrifying serial killer Kylo Ren.  Scattered moments of sanity are only met with someone considered untouchable, yet his obsessions begin to conflict with the important tasks that are given to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 24

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully this won't get too confusing. Things will get much clearer in later chapters. I'll get back to my other fic when I feel like but I got vibes and directions going with this one. Enjoy

Jakku District was a true god-forbidden slum, and Ben Solo had been familiar with many places like it. Buildings on every block were dilapidated and crumbling. The people who remained out were either homeless or hoping to make deals of “leisure”. 

It was the perfect place to hide as he waited for news from home to die down. Police presence was very minimal here as if they had given up and left residents to fend for themselves. 

But it wasn't just hiding that brought him here. His task was far from done. Snoke had been getting on him about the next person on his list, a list that had been kept for years. Only problem was...Ben had tried for years to find that person with no such luck. All he had left to go on was a possible connection residing somewhere in Jakku. 

Finding a place to stay was too simple a task, since Ben could not imagine that anyone living in Jakku carried as much cash as he did. At least he didn't had to worry about any of the street filth trying to mug him. He was not expecting any remote form of luxury in Niima Townhouse, which was just another three-story aged ruin like all the others. Already he nearly tripped over a couple of homeless who made their beds on the front steps of the building. Most of the apartment buzzers were worn and nonoperational. But he only needed to press the one labeled “Unkar Plutt: Manager.”

“WHAT DO YOU WANT?!”

Ben remained calm against the groggy annoyed voice on the other side of the intercom. “I called about the apartment.”

After a minute, the front door opened, and Ben swore he was looking at an enormous blob barely resembling a man, grotesque in every shape and form. Unkar was as tall as Ben was but had much more weight to his sides. “Five-hundred upfront or get lost!”

Ben knew before looking at any of the apartments, that none would be worth that much of an advance deposit. But he found humor in waving the exact cash that Unkar requested infront of him. He grabbed it like the greedy spineless creature that he was and let Ben inside.

The building was rather dark, and the walls were peeling off everywhere. Clearly Unkar had zero interests in the upkeep of the place. Ben could imagine the whole thing collapsing on him in the middle of the night, not that he would have minded. Niima Townhouse was already starting to feel like home, a perfect dwelling for someone as disturbed and out of touch with the good world as he was.

Ben had only brought two bags with him, but Unkar noticed one was unusually bigger than the other. “What's in that bag? A dead body?”

“Would that be considered unusual here?” Ben was trying real hard to keep it together but the irony was too much.

“Some of my tenants have a tendency to get into trouble. It's none of my business as long as I'm not involved.”

Unkar took him up to the top floor to apartment 21. “This is the only decent thing I got right now.” It seemed that the unexpected cash deposit got the manager playing kiss-up, expecting a good cash-flow from his new tenant with time. 

The place was painted in puke green but all the utilities were in place. Doors were falling apart but most of the furniture was in good shape. If this was decent, Ben didn't want to know what the others in the building were like. He went over to the living room window which gave him only a view of the brick wall across the alley and down below, a fire escape. The place was exactly what he needed.

“What do you provide in here as far as leisure?” Ben asked as they went back out into the hall.

Unkar laughed, knowing exactly what Ben was looking for. “So it's the goods you're looking for, is it? Teedo, he's in apartment 13...is one of the best suppliers in Jakku. I'll let him know he'll have a new customer soon.”

The conversation was momentarily interrupted by and older woman stumbling out of one of the apartments and trying to fix her state of undress. She yelled back in, “You're not getting anymore until you pay me back for the other nights, you hear me?!” The woman then shoved her way past the men and disappeared with angry thumps down the steps. 

“The female tenants here...there's not a lot of 'em but they're all open for business as well.” Unkar then pointed to the smaller end of the hall, “...except the one in 24. That one's mine.”

Ben doesn't think he'll be all that interested in getting laid with Snoke badgering him over what he had to do here in Jakku. At least Teedo would be able to provide with the necessaries to secure his sanity for the time being.

So he was quick to sign the lease. Unkar was too brainless to see that Ben only signed it as “Ben S.” just in case certain people were looking for him. And once the fat blob was out of his hair, Ben retreated back to the privacy of his new home and emptied his two bags. The smaller bag had his day clothes and his living essentials. 

From the bigger bag, he removed a large folder filled with news clippings that he would decorate the walls of his bedroom with. Then he took out two military gas masks, one was quite old...an artifact from the great wars. Ben set it over by the desk facing his bed and he knew that would be the perfect place for his shrine. The other mask was his own recent creation, one that him quite nervous and uncomfortable every time he took it out.

“Let us not hesitate,” a voice assured him. Snoke was not often seen, but he was the brains of the operation and always knew what needed to be done and when. “There is little time before you are tracked down and we have a list to complete.”

Ben remained in his bedroom alone with only the voice of Snoke keeping him company, reminding him of his purpose and why he did the things that he did. It was about strength. It had been Snoke's promise that we would gain it upon the list's completion. 

By the time darkness filled the block, Ben was ready to don the mask as well as a complete black apparel and made his way down the fire escape of his apartment. He was thankful that it was a quieter night than most. Many of the streets' expected inhabitants, the dealers and the call girls had to be gathering elsewhere. There was little light thus giving him the advantage. This would have been the stuff of vigilantes and superheroes, except Ben was neither of those things.

He found a potential target, a tiny scrawny man sitting on a curb smoking a cigarette. “Lor San Tekka?”

The thing saw a tall dark masked man approached him and recoiled in terror. This could not have been Lor San Tekka for the real one would not have suddenly shriek, “HOLY HELL, IT'S YOU!!! You're...you're Kylo Ren!”

Still, Ben was impressed that the stranger had heard of his alter ego...likely from all the horror stories the news spoke of. Few had ever survived to see Kylo Ren in his masked form and those were the lucky ones. To this day no one yet knew that Ben and Kylo were truly one in the same and he hoped for it to stay that way.

Through Ben's mask, the voice of Kylo Ren changed to something deeper and much more terrifying. “Do you know where I can find the one call Lor San Tekka? I know he lives here in Jakku.”

“I might...I mean...please don't kill me and I'll tell you!”

“I'm not interested in reasoning with scum. You tell me where San Tekka resides now and I'll consider letting you live.”

The scrawny little man put an arm behind his back. “Oh...sure…,” he squeaked. “Just let me see if I have...”

Ben should have seen it coming but he was not quick enough for it. The man was armed with a dagger and despite his size, he was able to stab the lower calf. Ben was only held back for a second by the pain, then he quickly moved to pull out his sword. The little man was too slow to make the getaway he thought stabbing Ben could afford him. The sword sliced his back and he was on the sidewalk screaming in horrific pain. Ben admired the man for trying to put up a fight. Perhaps he was worthy of living after all.

“Don't kill me! I'm sorry! Don't kill me!”

The sword came down and silenced the pathetic being for good. The victim had wasted his final moments displaying weakness. What a disappointment, Ben thought. He should have known that he would have no actual clues to San Tekka's location from that scum but he wasn't going to give up yet. 

His concentration was broken by the return of the pain in his leg. It was fortunate that there were no working streetlights where he was. It would be hours before they found the man's body but they would all know the killer by the sword wounds.

Limping back to the apartment was going to be a struggle but he had to remain inconspicuous and unsuspecting to whoever might see him. As he moved, he began to remove his mask and wrapped his bloody sword with his outer garments and shoved them into a bag, leaving in only his black pants and a muscle shirt. The walk was getting more strenuous and painful as distant thunder was closing in. By the time he made it to the steps of Niima Townhouse, his strength had left him. His black pants hid the fact that he'd been cut but he could feel the loss of blood and was near collapsing. He looked up to see if anyone was awake and found all the windows in darkness. He swore he saw the fluttering of tarp covering one of the third story windows, but it could also be that he was near delirium now. Would it even be worth enraging Unkar by ringing his bell at 3am and asking for help? Ben couldn't believe that he was even entertaining the thought of needing assistance. He truly was loosing it.

As the rain began, a light finally appeared on the other side of the front door. Ben was bent down, unable to look up and see who was coming out, but the figure stop so that he could only see a small pair of feet.

“Are you alright?” 

The voice seemed foreign in a place like this...not just by the British accent but how soft it was. Ben looked up but it was still too dark to see anything but the silhouette of a woman approaching him. “I can move,” said Ben. 

“Bad night?”

Ben nodded. “Someone...they tried to mug me but I'm fine. I just need a minute.”

“The rain will make things worse for you,” the woman said as she approached Ben to support him. Ben grasped tight the bag that held his secrets and he was thankful that she seemed to have ignored it. 

The woman was surprisingly strong, Ben thought, as she helped him up the steps to the door. Under the light Ben got a closer look at her and in disbelief at the sight. She was more a girl than a woman, a face gentle and serene unlike the women Ben had seen so far in Jakku. She was not stylish by any means as her hair consisted of one messy ponytail and she wore only pajama pants and a hoodie.

“You…,” Ben stuttered. “You live here?”

“On the top floor,” she said. “Better that I saw you though. Unkar wouldn't take kindly to being woken up this late.”

Once they got inside, the woman...or Ben now thought girl...stayed with him the entire time, quietly helping him up each step until they got all the way to Ben's door. Ben was not used to this type of compassion being bestowed upon him...ever. It was too surreal for him that it almost made him forget about why he was even out in the first place. This truly was an angel, if he had ever believed in one.

“Thank you…um...”

“It's Rey,” she said. “My name is Rey.”

“I'm Ben.”

“Well Ben, you'll be alright then? Maybe I'll see you around.” The very idea of it brought unexpected excitement in Ben. And he couldn't help but be enamored by Rey's radiant smile as she was making her way down to the smaller end of the hall. “Take care...and goodnight.”

Ben could not say or do anything but stand there and watch her disappear through a battered door. The curious sounds of furniture shuffling from inside compelled Ben to walk down the hall toward the noise.

Until he saw the large 24 on the door and his heart instantly sank.

The taken one? Of course she had to be. Someone young and beautiful as her, was a complete oddity in Jakku. But then the very idea that she was Unkar's made him sick to his gut. It only plagued him with so many unanswered questions as to how that was remotely possible. Rey did not seem like a prostitute in the least. And Unkar's apartment was on the first floor.

But if this was actually her choice, Ben thought, he couldn't blame her. He always made the choice to listen to Snoke even when he knows he's not real. Yet Ben still went by Snoke's list as it was made for. 

If only Unkar had been next on it. Perhaps he could persuade Snoke. That one would turn his work as Kylo Ren into absolute pleasure.


	2. Creep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I've gotten so much lovely feedback on this story, I decided to treat you to another chapter midweek. Thank you so much!

Before the sun even came out, word had already spread about Kylo Ren's latest victim...and that he had been seen in Jakku. The residents would become frightened and paranoid the whole day, leaving the streets empty and near silent.

The police had stuck around only briefly for the investigation. One neighbor swore to seeing Kylo Ren from his apartment window and that he may or may have not removed his helmet but since it was too dark, there was no way to really be sure.

That was what Ben read in the newspaper anyway. He took pride in seeing the police sketch of his signature disguise, a few details off, but if it struck fear in the general public then he was satisfied. The downside however was that now he had to be much more careful. If he found Lor San Tekka and had to kill him...then that gave Ben little time to complete his mission in Jakku. The police, for now, assumed that Kylo Ren would be on the move and not settling. Another kill in Jakku, however, would surely reveal the opposite.

Constantly having to move from place to place every time he completed a kill was getting tiresome. He wasn't sure he would be ready to make a quick move again no matter how much Snoke would badger him about it. Plus he wasn't so sure that San Tekka would give him what he needed at all. 

The job was getting stressful.

“Where do you think, you're going?” Snoke asked him.

“To get some leisure,” Ben replied. He thought for a moment to head to a stripper bar out of pure spite but instead went straight to Apartment 13 and Teedo became practically giddy at Ben's interest in all of his inventory. But after an hour, Ben would only walk out with a small stash of marijuana. He wasn't in the mood to completely wreck himself just yet. 

All he wanted was to relax, enjoy the rare quietness of Jakku until people were less scared of being out in the streets again. As for Snoke, Ben would have to drown him out by watching some videos on his laptop. He knew porn irritated Snoke the most (“a distraction from your work” he called it) but Ben could only get turn on by porn on very rare occasion. He would have to settle instead for watching old propaganda videos on the Great War, a cultural interest that they both shared.

These were the only times where he felt close to mentally stable...when he was high enough that he could enjoy his interests without the concern of other people or tasks. As a bonus, he would sit and poke at his stabbing wound from the night before. He only gave the injury minimal treatment because he felt that letting it heal would make him weak...or was that what Snoke said to him...he didn't know anymore.

The sound of clanging coming from outside had broken Ben's concentration. Whoever it was, was getting pretty damn close to being on the list whether Snoke requested it or not. He leaned out of his window to get a good view but it was still hard to believe what he was seeing.

It was the girl from 24...Rey, wearing the same clothes he saw her in the night before except she looked far more rugged. She was rummaging through the dumpster in the alleyway collecting as much scrap metal as she could to put in a grocery cart. After 10 or 20 minutes, she finally moved on, disappearing to the back of the building. He did recall Teedo saying something about Unkar dealing in scrap metal trades on the side or something of that nature. It was impossible however, to make a living off of something like that...at least not enough to have your own place.

It was around 4 in the afternoon. 

The next day, Ben was going through his usual routine waiting for that hour to roll around again. When he did, he went to the window just to see her. She never looked up or took any notice that anyone would be watching. Ben was still too far away to call to her, but he didn't want to. Aside from the usual high he would take, he found peace in the sight of watching her routine, the same hour of every day, rarely if ever leaving his apartment.

Besides, he didn't know how he would even approach Rey again and he had no one to blame for that but his father. The man had never been around to teach them how to deal with girls and at the onset of his own puberty, Ben Solo had been considered a great freakshow by his peers. It had been bad enough how much hell he got for being lanky and a bit grotesque, but being able to see and hear Snoke back then did not help matters. This wasn't childhood anymore, he told himself. He had more power now as Kylo Ren than he ever did as Ben Solo. 

Day four and Rey had not appeared at her usual hour. Ben started to get agitated. For the love of God, if Snoke dared to even...

“She knows you were watching her...you creep.”

“Shut up!”

Crash! Ben started throwing furniture all throughout the room to stop Snoke from giving him those awful reminders of how right he could possibly be. The neighbors would assume he was drinking but Ben was far from an alcoholic. There was enough going on with him as it was.

And still Rey did not come, filling Ben with anguish, concern, anger, paranoia…

Damn Snoke.

__________________________________________________________

Ben rarely slept at night, and that had been even worse since he knew routine was shattered. Typically he would try to listen to the walls outside his apartment, wondering if any of those footsteps were Rey's returning from her day's work. That entire night, he remained awake. 

It wasn't until 7am the following morning when the sound of footsteps compelled him to rush to the peephole of his front door. He doubt it would be her, but it would drive him mad if he didn't peek all the same. He saw at least two shadows pass by and that's when Ben decided to step out. Although the hallway was still dark, he could see them heading towards the smaller end of the hall, standing just infront of Rey's apartment.

“This is the place,” said one of the shadows. “The place don't have a damn lock.”

“Anything good in there?” asked the other.

“Mostly junk, but it's valuable junk.” 

Before one of them could open the door, Ben was already stalking towards the two would be invaders. “What do you think you're doing?”

One of them pulled out a crowbar, hoping to use it as a weapon. “Screw off. This is a squatter's apartment. Everything's fair game!”

“Not for you,” Ben growled before grabbing the man's arm and twisting it, the he grabbed the crowbar with the other. The invaders were too scared to even scream. Something about Ben's demeanor finally convinced them that he was not to be toiled with. “Get out and don't even think about showing your disgusting faces around here again!”

The strangers rush past Ben as the pathetic creatures they were, stumbling their way down the stairs. 

He stood there for a good ten minutes, not knowing what to do. He took a few steps towards door 24 and for the first time noticed how much damaged and worn it was compared to his...compared to all the other apartments. Ben nudged the door a bit and it moved on it's own without so much as a squeak, almost as if it was beckoning him in. It couldn't be that Rey was home. No one could possibly sleep in their own beds in Jakku without locking their doors.

But her place was open all the same...and it was dark for early morning. Sunlight seeped in from two windows, one covered in wood and the other in a plastic tarp. The walls lacked brightness because they were barely walls at all. Whatever did not seem vandalized or graffiti-ed, was only a hollow shell of loose wires and piping. There was a big empty space to the right that showed signs of once being a kitchen but nothing to show for it. The only furniture within the room was a broken dresser that was to the side of the door Ben came in. The only décor was a laundry line that traveled across the room with only a few pair of worn clothing hanging on it. Ben stopped just short of something big that laid across the floor.

And he realized it wasn't just a mattress with a pile of clothes and blankets laid on it. He saw a bare foot sticking out from underneath. Rey had unveiled herself slowly at first because she had clearly been asleep. 

But as soon as she saw Ben, she let out a huge gasp.

“Shit!” Ben cried out. Rey had grabbed what resembled a large stick and was swinging it at him. 

“I'm sorry! I'm sorry!” Ben ran quickly out of that apartment, hearing the sound of more scuffling as he left. 

Creep. Creep. And creep again. Either Snoke was trying to talk to him again or Ben was getting terrible flashbacks of times he had been labeled this in high school, the times when he did try to talk to girls and it backfired on him miserably.

All the more reason he was glad that his father was dead.

__________________________________________________________

Ben needed to get out of the building for a while. The longer he stayed in his apartment, the more damage he would probably bring and likely pay for courtesy of the thoughts that tormented him.

After a miserable day of walking around Jakku trying to get his mind off his idiotic choices, he started walking home with his bag of cheap groceries. He clearly hadn't been focused on where he was going or otherwise he would have realized he was in the very alley that his window overlooked.

And there, half bent over the dumpster was Rey. It was 4 in the afternoon.

Before Ben could consider retreating, Rey had spotted him. He was prepared for fury, but Rey didn't seem to show it. She was hesitating...eyeing him intensely.

“I'm sorry…,” Ben said again. “I wasn't...being a creep or anything. I saw some guys trying to break in earlier and I just...”

Rey got off the dumpster. “You know, even if you were a creep, it would be nothing new around here.”

“I'm not lying about the break-in,” said Ben.

“I know,” she said, sounding quite forgiving. “It's my fault. I've been so sick the past couple of days...been doing nothing but sleeping and I just forgot to block the door.”

He wanted to ask her why she didn't have locks...or why Unkar couldn't at least provide her with any. But he could tell the conversation was already making her feel uncomfortable. He'd done enough of that with her today. “At least let me make it up to you.”

“You don't have to...”

“But I could...” Ben looked down at the bag he was carrying. “I could make you dinner.”

Rey seemed a bit more intrigued, surprised even. “Dinner?!”

“Is that weird or...”

“You would...it would be free food wouldn't it?”

“Of course it is,” said Ben. “You can come to my place, and you don't have to knock if it makes things even.”

Rey nodded at the respect. “Give me a couple of hours.”

Ben headed back into Niima Townhouse for the first time that day, calm and relieved. He had very little time to anticipate Rey's arrival as aside from cooking, he also had to hide all the obvious evidence in his apartment that screamed 'I am Kylo Ren!' All while Snoke was still being a dick to him.


	3. Virgin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ask an ye shall recieve: a look into Rey's backstory (there will be more in the next chap as well). Also, I thought to myself...how could I make Ben even loonier in this story than he already was? I found a way and it's a reason for the rating change. Be forewarned!

Rey had never been on a date before. She wasn't so sure if this even counted. 

So why was she trying to hard to make herself look “healthy” infront of her broken hand mirror? She was grateful her clothes covered the fact that she was skinnier than she looked. Not completely on the verge of starvation but enough to show that she hadn't had a decent meal in weeks. 

It was in truth, the real reason why Rey had been too ill to scavenge the past several days and she blames Unkar for that. Today, she managed to find enough to sustain herself for maybe a day or two, but instead of taking whatever Unkar would give her, she threw the metals and cans practically in his face and quickly went back to her “apartment”. She didn't want to stick around for him to ask why she hadn't been out in a few days. She refuses to give him any notion that she was getting weak...that she could be on the verge of giving up her “independent life” anytime soon.

Of course, this wasn't the first time that Rey had been invited to another man's apartment, yet all those other times she had known better than to accept. There was always an ultimatum that she swore years ago to never cave to. And after Ben came into her apartment, she wasn't sure if she found him trustworthy. She had been curious about the man since his arrival here, she'd admit. And a free meal was something she was not in any position at the moment to turn down. 

Rey was also aware that Unkar would find out what she was doing tonight either way. Apparently, he had eyes and ears everywhere. There was an old woman on her floor who always a gossip. Others in the complex would often report to their landlord if Rey was doing anything suspicious, especially if it meant a discount in rent or some other reward or bribe.

But it's a road she's been down enough times to even care anymore. No one...especially not Unkar was going to control where she could go within the only home she ever had.

__________________________________________________________ 

“What the hell is that?” Snoke asked.

“It's a vegetable pasta,” said Ben.

“It looks disgusting,”

“Then lucky you, you're not eating it.” Ben set the food down on his card table then did one last sweep of the apartment. Everything that might make Rey suspicious or weary of his activities as Kylo Ren was confined to the bedroom. So as long as Rey didn't need to use the bathroom at his place, he should be fine, right?

“Whatever you're planning, it's not going to work.” 

Ben was trying hard as hell now to ignore Snoke's tauntings and even harder to not look at him in the eye as he was sitting in a worn down chair across the room. Since Rey wouldn't be able to see him, it was good practice for his sanity before she came over. 

“You know, I could always tell her that you're a virgin.” The smile Ben could sense on Snoke's face got bigger. “Or that little problem with your inability to...perform.”

Ben slammed his fist against a wall. “You wouldn't!” Ben started breathing harder than he ever had in life. “She...she wouldn't be able to hear you!”

“Oh...but you know how talented I am at getting you to loosen your tongue. I would still be doing the talking all the same.”

Ben was enraged now and perhaps that was what Snoke had been hoping for. They both knew that if Ben didn't calm down, he was going to scare Rey away and that would be the end of it.

He escaped back into his bedroom turning to his other source of interaction. “Grandfather,” he quietly spoke to old helmet on the table. “I don't want to do something stupid. I need this to work, please.”

There was no response from his grandfather's helmet, as Ben had expected, but it had been worth a shot at least. But he found himself calming a bit, his breathing returning to normal, as he heard a knock at the door and there was Rey. She was still wearing the same clothes but managed to clean herself up a bit. 

“I don't suppose Unkar approves of you being here, does he?” 

Rey scoffed. “He doesn't need to know where I go or who I speak to around here.”

Ben smiled. “Then come in.” As soon as Rey stepped in, her senses directed her to the food on the table and she was trying really hard to not show how desperate she was to dig into it all. She was also distracted by the look of Ben's apartment, which compared to hers was a palace.

“I'm sorry this isn't exactly gourmet,” he said as he was sitting Rey at the table.

“Are you kidding, this is great!” she said. In truth, Ben could have made a stale can of beans and it would have been the best thing she ever had in her mind. “You know,” she said stuffing her mouth with the pasta. “I never really thanked you for stopping those guys from breaking in.”

Ben asked, “Does that happen often?” 

“When I'm not home, yes, even though I stopped keeping all my valuables in there years ago. But they'll still take anything not nailed down.” Rey slowed down in her eating. “After what you saw in my...I mean sorry about attacking you again. You're new here, so you're probably wondering...”

“I admit I do wonder a lot of things about you.”

Rey sighed. “So...anything particular you're dying to know about me?”

“Yes,” said Ben. “I'd like to know what exactly is the nature of your relationship with Unkar?”

Rey did a double blink. “Re-relationship? Well...I guess you could say he's my father.”

The unexpected response nearly made Ben choke on his food. “You're...father?”

“Not by blood, thank god. My mother found him on the internet and dragged me all the way from the U.K. to move into his place when I was 5.”

It still didn't make any sense to Ben. “You know when I first arrived here, Unkar gave the insistent impression that you were off limits.”

“He said that, did he?” Rey expelled a nervous laugh. “Of course he would.” So she wasn't his whore? Ben was relieved. Yet Rey was starting to feel quite uncomfortable about the subject at hand. “What happened to your mother?” he asked her.

“She owed Unkar a lot of money for all the drugs he'd always buy for her. When he was wanting her to pay off, she said she'd find a job...at least that was the last thing she told me before she left. That was ten years ago.”

“Ten years? And she just left you here?”

“As insurance that she'd come back,” said Rey. “Truth is, I think she was running away from me, too.”

“You don't believe that, do you?”

“The only memories I ever had of her were hearing her and Unkar fuck or waste themselves in another room while I was left to myself all the time. So yes...I do believe it.” Her tone was becoming quite bitter, almost near the verge of breaking. She never thought she would even have anyone to pour her heart out to like this.

“There's nothing binding you here,” said Ben. 

“Tell Unkar that! I wanted to leave years ago, but he was pissed that my mother played him. Somebody had to pay her debt.”

Now it was all becoming clear to Ben. “Oh...”

“I dropped out of school...tried to look for whatever work I could. The only work that seems to suit me in Jakku is being a whore. But I've never...I only have my dignity now. Working the streets would mean giving up. I'm not quite there yet.”

In a strange sense of confidence, Ben reached his hand over to Rey's. His hand was huge and easily wrapped around her own. Snoke was absent from his surroundings as far as he was concerned. “You won't be, Rey. For you to be alone here all these years, to work as hard as you do...that is strength, and that is something I admire.”

Rey was still getting accustomed to the feel of Ben's hand around hers. “Thanks, I guess.”

The rest of the meal continued uneventfully and Rey had eaten far more than she had intended. Ben didn't seem to mind at all. By the time both decided to retire, it was already late at night. 

As Rey was heading out the door, Ben stopped her. “I want to do this again, tomorrow.”

“Are you sure? In case you hadn't notice, I eat a bit like a pig.”

“I don't mind it, really,” said Ben. “I can cook for you everyday if it's to your liking.”

Rey tried to read for any sign of an ulterior motive. Even though something seemed off about Ben, there was also something calm and assuring about him too. In a strange way, she wanted this just as much as he did. “I'll come.”

In a few moments, Ben was left alone in his apartment again...with his thoughts...with Snoke. He put his mental focus into Rey again and at the slight thought of her spending more time with him, he was starting to feel something in-between his legs.

He could hear Snoke snickering. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Does it matter? She's already gone.”

“You honestly think you have any chance of fucking her when you can't even get wet...”

“Shut up!”

“I've had enough,” said Snoke. “We have a job to do and you're wasting your time with the impossible!”

Ben stormed off angrily into his bedroom to lie flat on his bed. He hated Snoke for being right. Getting hard had never been a problem with Ben, it was getting off where he never succeeded. All because of that Christian school his parents shipped him off to for a few years in his youth. 

They thought that a religious environment or awakening would rid his mind of Snoke. Instead, he was only filled with constant lectures on the evils of spilling seed for anything other than procreation. Snoke had both mocked and encouraged the shame, causing Ben years of extreme paranoia even breakdowns whenever he got hard. He forced himself to not give into the temptation of touching himself because of it. Even an accidental squirt would make him break down and cry. 

By the time Ben was old enough to have known better, all desire seemed permanently lost. And he feared that it only added to his motivation to obey Snoke, to take the stress out on his murder victims whenever he became Kylo Ren. 

He was still hard...even harder now. He didn't understand it, not until out of curiosity, he reached his hand out to pull down everything below the waist. But there he was, harder and more erect than he had ever seen himself.

“Rey?” His hand moved to grab it. “Has she done this to me?”

Ben had not forgotten how it was done but a part of him was still afraid. He needed to push the shame back...to push Snoke back. Instead he thought of Rey...he thought of her hand on himself instead of his own. The feel of soft hands caressing him, giving him something he has never truly known, but as a whore or a lover, Ben did not know. His fragile unstable mind wanted her as both. 

Now he found himself gasping...nearly on the verge of crying…

“Rey!”

The shame was gone as he rubbed himself harder than he ever had in his life. The noise he made was almost like one screaming after having a nightmare. And then he felt a strange sense of release. Ben looked over and saw the creamy substance that seemed so foreign to him shooting out like a fountain. His seed was everywhere and it didn't break him. 

Instead, it made him feel so free...so at peace.

“You make me sick!” he heard Snoke call out.

Ben was taking deep hard breaths whispering to a quiet room, “I told you I could do it.”


	4. Keys

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy eff me! I can't believe the reviews this is getting! I love you all!

Against her better judgment, Rey had gone back to see him the next day and the day after. Meals with Ben were slowly becoming a comfortable new routine separate from her daily struggle to survive in Jakku. And the best part was that as long as she was getting even just one free meal a night, she didn't have to waste what little money she could make in a day on food. She could finally use her earnings towards paying off Unkar. 

She couldn't keep the money in her apartment though, or it was guaranteed to be stolen. And sometimes she wondered if Unkar was behind all the break-ins and emptying her apartment of all valuables in her absence to ensure that the debt would never be paid off. She couldn't keep it on her person either. Muggings were a common thing in the day and even though she could defend herself well (thanks to a discarded baton she once found), the muggers would still get away with what she earned on more than one occasion.

As odd and awkward as Ben was, perhaps he could be trusted to help her. 

“Do you think I could leave this here?” she asked one night placing a measly tin can of coins on Ben's table. “No one would think to look for anything I own here.” Rey knew he would have no use for it since he probably had much more money than she did.

“Of course,” said Ben. “But I don't see why Unkar won't let you have a lock for you apartment.”

“It's...complicated.” Rey didn't want to speak of the matter further beyond that, even if Ben pried her to. It was all part of the agreement she made with Unkar...just so she could get away from him. “Wouldn't make a difference though, would it? A lock wouldn't do much against a thief when they're desperate.”

“I suppose not.” Ben looked at the tin can and could only feel pain at the thought of how much she had to struggle everyday just to earn a few pathetic coins per day by her own 'father'.

“I am curious,” said Rey. “What's a man like you coming to live in Jakku of all places?”

Ben was taken off-guard. He's had very little interaction with people in Jakku outside of Rey since his arrival, and never thought that anyone would ask if he had any real purpose here other than to just throw their life away. It's what the rest of Jakku's residents were known for anyway. “My work sent me here,” he said. “It's only temporary.”

“So you're not staying?” 

“I don't know for how long,” said Ben. “Depends on how hard the job gets.”

There was disappointment, sadness. Rey told herself it was because she wouldn't be getting a lifetime of free meals as she hoped. And Ben sensed it. It was crushing him to see her like that.

The next couple of days, he was determined to step up his game, find some way to make their brief amount of time together each day a little more special, more comforting than the last.

In the middle of it all, he had to look for work to be able to maintain his new life in Jakku. Rey had been right about this place...work was not easy to come by. Eventually Ben had to go just outside the district, which was in no better shape.

Eventually, he managed to sweet-talk the owner of First Order Tobacco Shop and Ben was hired that very day. Hux, the owner of the store, hired him only because he didn't look like a pathetic slob like all the others who came into his place. Soon enough, Ben would see that compared to Phasma, the only other worker in the store who was far more tolerable and cooperative, Hux was absolutely insufferable both to customers and to Ben. People like him were usually doomed to be on the list, Ben thought. 

It was only when Ben returned home from work, did Ben even think about Snoke and that list again. “I'm losing my patience with you,” he kept telling Ben. “Why aren't you out looking for San Tekka?”

“I will,” Ben barked into his empty apartment. “Just give me more time.”

“You've had more than enough...wasting it all on that girl. She's never going to fuck you...”

“Enough!”

“You know it's true. You're pathetic little dates are getting you nowhere.” It was getting harder and harder to ignore Snoke's words. “Do you really think you could be anything like your grandfather?”

There were many things Ben loathed about Snoke, but the worst for him would be being compared to his grandfather, Anakin Skywalker, the Great War hero...the one that even got a place in the history books. Not like him. 

His mother, Anakin's daughter, still worked in politics but kept a very low profile on her association with the man due to his complicated history. Still, as a boy, Ben loved to hear the stories from whoever and however he could. He liked the stories of how he became a conqueror who worked alongside the Empire, despite the fact that he was born and raised a Republic citizen. But he also liked the stories of Anakin's early years, how he saved lives during an important battle and even won the heart of the Queen of Naboo when they were both still young. They married in secret, as Ben recalled reading, but the couple were found out anyway after scandal broke out and Anakin was suspected of murdering her. 

It was the stuff of fairy tales, up until that tragic ending. 

Ben would never make history like his grandfather, or even be as important as his mother and uncle were. But if his grandfather could win the heart of a Queen even when he was just a simple boy from a humble upbringing, then surely someone like Ben could win over a girl from down the hall, no matter what Snoke believed.

And then Ben thought he just might have an idea how to do that.

__________________________________________________________ 

Rey rarely ever had a good haul. Once, she had come across a discarded van and took every bit of metal she could from it without any competition. But Unkar of course, made sure she got very little out of that trade as usual, and there was very little she could do to challenge him on that.

She wasn't as naive as she was years ago, when she had dreams of earning enough money to turn her “apartment” into a livable place while she worked to pay off the debt...or that her mother would come back to pay off the debt herself. The dream died quickly, as it flipped the middle finger at her, restricting her to a life of near homelessness. The streets were not an option. At least in Niima Townhouse, she somewhat had a roof over her head as the world outside of the building grew to be a more dangerous place, especially lately with word of the notorious killer Kylo Ren being in the area.

Her bag of cans today was pretty decent, maybe worth 75 cents at most.

“This is worth...” Unkar weighed the bag in his dingy office in the back. “A quarter.”

 _'You've got to be kidding me!'_ Rey thought. That was worse than usual, even for Unkar. What was he trying to play at? Rey was ready to take her damn quarter and leave before her inner fuse went off, but Unkar grabbed her arm as she turned her back to him. 

“Hold it.” Rey winced at the incredible amount of pain Unkar applied as if he was crushing her arm in his large, bloated hand. “Ms. M's been seeing you go in and out of 21…everyday this week.” 

“What's it any business of yours who I speak to around here?” Rey spat at him.

Unkar's face was turning red. His voice was much more harsh and unpleasant than usual. “Unless you're in there sucking his dick to pay me back, it IS my business! Now tell me what you've been doing with him.”

“Nothing,” said Rey. “We talk a bit and that's it.” She didn't want to give him the impression that she was starting to treat Ben's place like a second, better home or Unkar, as usual, would just accuse her of taking advantage of her own living situation.

“Don't lie to me, girl.”

Rey sneered at him. “What would you know about honesty?”

She got nowhere with trying to shake his grasp off of her. Instead, she found herself being swung around and thrown against a large pile of scrap metal in the corner of the office. The clashing sound of metal was nothing compared to the cutting of her skin. 

“UNGRATEFUL CUNT!!! I've let you live here for free and you still haven't paid me shit! And now you're going to have that mouth with me?! I should have thrown you out years ago...”

 _'You mean that shack?'_ Rey thought to ask as she struggled to get back up from the pile of scrap metal. She would know better than that though, especially considering how much she fought and begged him to let her have her own place...anything to not have to live in the same apartment as him anymore.

She then felt Unkar hold her up by the waste. “Or you can move back downstairs,” he said to her, smiling. His hand slid down to cup her ass and Rey was trying too hard not to puke. “I might even take off what you owe me.”

 _'YOU MEAN WHAT MY MOTHER OWED YOU!'_ she wanted to scream at him. Rey had tried to block out the first few years of her life after her mother left and never came home. No matter how hard she had worked to start earning money to pay Unkar, he still treated her the waste of space he'd always considered her to be. She put up with him beating her in the face. She even allowed him to cop a feel whenever he requested it. But it was when he tried to get her to start doing drugs with him...that was the final straw for Rey. The only memories she ever had of her mother was of her either being a complete vegetable or of her acting out erratically, and it terrified Rey enough that she didn't want to be faced with a similar life. It was at this point, that Rey began to think that this wasn't even about the debt anymore for Unkar. This was about having someone weak to toy with...to have absolute control over.

She looked him cold in the eyes and said, “I threw away your key years ago.”

When she was 12, Rey thought she had finally won the fight. Unkar had given her an apartment that was only made free and available because it had been vandalized and damaged to the point of being completely unlivable. She would get no power, no heat, limited water, and the only key he'd given her was not one for her apartment. It was a duplicate key of his (despite it being against his own building rules) and she remembered how he laughed as he left her alone at last. He had expected her to come crawling back to him after maybe a week. But Rey had angered him through her absolute resilience. No matter how bad things were for her, she would not let herself break. She would not let herself be dependent on him again because the more she did, the more Unkar would make her owe him.

Unkar angrily shoved her away, but this time Rey was able to keep her balance and not crash into anything. “I don't want you seeing him anymore.”

__________________________________________________________ 

But Rey had never been one to listen to Unkar these days. After cleaning up as much of the blood and cuts from her as she could, she had gone straight over to Ben's at the usual hour.

“Do you have a smoke?” she asked as soon as Ben opened the door.

“I didn't know that you...” Ben paused as he stared at her face. “God, Rey!” He held her cheek to get a better look at the nasty gash she was unable to conceal. “What happened to you?”

“I just...I cut myself when I was dumpster diving. It's fine, really. Now do you have a cigarette or what?”

Ben did not believe her. He had a bad feeling that someone else had cause that gash and the thought of someone else having hurt Rey was one that was ready to make him go berserk. But he kept calm...for her. “Yes.” He pulled out one from a pack he had bought from work and Rey took it greedily. Rey had never been a smoking addict, but it was something to calm her down after her afternoon with Unkar. She tried to change the subject. “So how's your new job going?”

“Hux is an ass,” Ben told her. “Don't know how the store makes any business.” He turned to a small wrapped package on the table. “Anyway, I...I have something for you.”

“A present?” Rey was perking up. The free food was already thoughtful of him. “You didn't have to...”

“I wanted to,” said Ben. “It's something I think you'd really appreciate. Here...” He gave her the small package which had been wrapped in a piece of cloth and was so small, the gift fit in the palm of her hand. “Open it.”

Rey unwrapped the cloth and her face changed, from excited to confused. 

“It's a duplicate key,” said Ben. “For when I'm at work. If you ever just want to nap on my couch, or take a shower, or even raid my fridge, I want you to feel free to do so. I know it's against Unkar's rules but he doesn't have to know.”

A duplicate key...all Rey could think about was the implications behind it. So after all this time, he just wanted her to pay for all the food and hospitality he was giving her? Just like Unkar?

She pushed the key back across the table. “I'm sorry...I can't take this.”

Ben's smile dropped. “What?”

But Rey kept shaking her head and then got up. She was trying not to cry. “I can't! Excuse me.” She turned and rushed out of the apartment. All Ben could do was just sit there trying to wring his head as to what the fuck just happened. WHAT DID HE DO WRONG?!

“Ouch! The sting of rejection,” Snoke snickered.

Ben was certain...he thought Rey would have wanted a better place to live. At least in his apartment, he could provide that. Instead, she looked at him like he offended her somehow. 

He could hear the laughter in his head...of the girls in school that rejected him with absolute disgust...that called him a freak. “NO!” he screamed trying to shut the voices out. He started throwing and kicking at everything in the apartment. He had Rey and now she was gone.

“You never had her,” was what Snoke would say.

Ben's whole body was shaking from pain...from anger. His heart had never felt more crushed and he was now in desperate need for something to make it go away. He tried punching at his leg where his old stab wound use to be, but the wound had long healed.

Then he went into his bedroom, looking at all the newsclippings on the wall and at his grandfather's war helmet. Then he pulled out his own, put on his black clothing on and grabbed his sword.

“There's the Kylo Ren I know and love,” said Snoke.

Ben sadly agreed. He needed to do something tonight...he needed to kill. It was the only way for his mind to calm down again. 

Once night fell, he went out the window. If the cold breeze of the night did not ease the pain in his heart, then shedding blood was his only other option.


	5. Massacre

He was surrounded by blood. The alleyway was now drenched in it, and the bodies of five hoodlums, who would not be missed, began wasting away in the darkness. Ben had never seen so much blood on his sword. It would seem impossible to make an escape back to the apartment without leaving a massive blood trail behind.

He continued to breathe heavily. The kills did not give him any satisfaction, nor did they allow him to get any closer to finding San Tekka. There would be no peace tonight. The pain of what happened earlier still tormented him. It was as if Rey had both feared and hated him. If she had known him as Kylo Ren, it would be completely understandable. But as Ben Solo, he thought he had a chance to know and experience something completely different from living under Snoke's constant mental control. No medication would have helped him. Years of trial and error with various pills only made Ben's condition worse with time. Rey was the closest thing he had ever had to a cure, and tonight, he feared he may have lost that forever.

The rain had been on his side again. The downpour was so great, that it would wash most of the blood off of himself and his victims. And by some miracle, he was able to make it back to his apartment, without a soul spotting him.

The headline the next day shook the core of Jakku once more:

**_'MASSACRE ON FINALIZER STREET. Five bodies may have been connected to Kylo Ren.'_ **

Finalizer Street was just outside of Jakku, but it was enough to send people into a panic, either holed up in isolation or to run up and down the streets declaring Kylo Ren “the Great Death”. “The Great Death has come to Jakku!” the street preachers would scream.

Luckily, the police were not anywhere to be found this time, but Ben Solo was still quite on edge as he walked passed the alleyway on his way to work, now the scene of a bloody investigation. Even his boss, Hux, was nervous and paranoid as he was since the killings happened so close to his shop. 

Ben had returned home early that afternoon. As he faced the entrance to Niima Townhouse, he looked at his watch and realized it was close to 4. Would he dare to even try and see? It pained him too much but he had to. His mind would not rest if he did not try and see her. 

He entered the alleyway but found it empty. For more than an hour, he waited but Rey never came. It's just as well, he thought. What if she was trying to avoid him?

Giving up, he went straight up to his apartment and would wait out the entire night, hoping against all hope, that maybe she would come to dine with him like they use to and maybe she would have forgotten about the foolish deed that made her so upset.

But no one ever came to knock on his door.

This went on for about three days straight. Some nights, he listened by the door desperately for passing footsteps and would hear none. If not for having a job, he wouldn't know what to do and the last thing he wanted to do was to sit in his apartment all day allowing Snoke to mock his misery. 

On the fourth night, he was starting to crack. It wasn't just him losing his sanity over Rey, there was genuine concern as well. He decided that night, around midnight, that he would go to her. 

At midnight, he tapped on her door. “Rey?” Ben was able to push the door open. “Rey?” he called out louder, this time to let his presence be known but was only greeted by darkness. There were no electric lights in her apartment, so Ben had to rely on the light from the hallway as he pushed the door all the way open. Rey could not have forgotten to block her door again, especially at night. He looked down to find the mattress she slept on empty and had to accept that she wasn't home.

But where could she be at this hour? Rey worked in the daytime. What business could she had outside of the apartment building at night? He didn't want to think the worse. He just wouldn't…

...and yet, he did not sleep.

On the sixth morning, as he was about to leave for work, he thought he caught a glimpse of her at the bottom of the apartment stairway.

“Rey!”

The head of brown hair that Ben could see did not respond. Instead it disappeared and Ben could hear the back exit door open and close. He hurried downstairs in the same direction. But after going through the exit door himself, all trace was lost again.

Within one week, his apartment was in absolute shreds. The floor was littered with broken furniture, beer bottles, and used up joints. He wanted to go on another killing spree but it would be too risky after his recent killings.

He was grateful that work was slow when he went in because he was in no condition to deal with customers. It took almost the entire day for his being to calm down. 

“We might as well close early tonight,” said Hux. “I'm tired of wasting hours in here with no customers.”

“You've been closing the store early everyday this week,” said Phasma. “Is this because of Kylo Ren? Scared you'll run into him in the middle of the night?” She had caught on to Hux's paranoia about Kylo Ren and would tease him endlessly about it. At least that was something to humor Ben.

“Don't be absurd! I'm just tired. I'll think I'll go out tonight. Ben, I don't suppose you know of any gentlemen’s clubs in Jakku, do you?” 

“I haven't visit any yet,” said Ben. “But I can assure you that any club in Jakku will be far below your personal tastes and standards.”

“Why not just go to your usuals on Starkiller Avenue?”

“Go home, Phasma!”

Phasma was still trying to keep her laughter in as she walked past Ben and whispered in his ear “he's still scared of Kylo Ren. Just won't admit it.” 

After she left, Hux began to close down the shop. “I will test these clubs in Jakku for myself. But I don't trust the kind of people there, Ben. Suppose you join me tonight as a guide. I'll let you take a day off next week with pay. Is that reasonable?”

Ben didn't have anything else better to do, no matter how much he despised Hux. “Fine.”

The streets of Jakku at night were just as disgusting as Hux feared they would be. As the two men rounded corners, they were greeted by drug addicts or prostitutes of an old, sagging, breed, pleading to get whatever they could off the passerby. “Get off of me, you leeches!” Hux was getting agitated with every step they took and Ben was beginning to wonder why the hell he even agreed to do this for him. 

Eventually they came before the entryway of a strip club that was a true dive. Hux looked up at the glaring neon sign. “The AT-AT? What does that stand for?”

A passing drunkard yelled, “Ass and Tits! Ass and Tits! Get it?!”

Ben and Hux could barely see anything once they paid their cover and went inside, the place was incredibly dark and smokey. There was only a small amount of lighting for the main stage where an older curly blond woman with enormous breasts was pole dancing. 

“Good God,” Hux said to Ben. “I underestimated your words.” Hux was clearly more familiar with clubs of far more class...ones that weren't incredibly smokey and had far more attractive women. The men in the club were also quite rowdy, drunk, and obnoxious. 

But Ben didn't care for any more of his coworker's whining. He just wanted to get through the night.

They were looking for a place to sit when Ben spotted a large mass in the corner booth near the front of the stage. He could see them through the smoke. Unkar and Teedo. They were sitting and laughing about something but Ben could only catch “of course I reserved the room...the whole week...I'm finally getting paid...” 

Ben knew it was the first week of the month. Unkar was probably here to celebrate collecting rent from the tenants. Either way, Ben had to resist every urge in his body to go over there and inquire about if he knew where Rey could be. He doubt he'd get a decent answer from him. 

And he was also not in the mood to be seen by people living in his own building. “We're sitting further back,” he told Hux, grabbing him by the shoulder. They found a place in the shadows were they could get a decent view but remain invisible. A waitress, who looked too old and too high to be working there, took their drink orders. They both requested the hardest drink available. 

The high tempo loud beating music that drowned the place slowly died out. The DJ announced “Fresh meat in the house tonight!” and there was a cheer from the moderately sized crowd. “And she's looking to be Jakku's new fave. Let's give it up for our desert girl, Sandy!”

The speakers began to blare a deep, slow tempo blast of Arabic music from the far back of the stage the new girl slowly approached the center pole.

“Finally,” said Hux as he took notice of the girl who looked much younger and more appealing than all of the old crows that seemed to be working the joint. She definitely was wearing the bare minimum, a deep halter top that might as well have been two thin scraps of fabric that came down to barely cover her breasts and meet at the g-string thong she wore. It was all thin and all beige. In the right light, she would seem to be practically naked. As she was twisting and dancing around the pole, a fan had been blowing her hair in nearly every direction. 

Ben was slowly starting to take notice and it was disturbing him. The dancer's faced turned to one of the few lights in the room and at the right moment, the fan blew her hair back.

Ben instantly shot up and gripped the table ready to break it.

“Rey?!”

She was hardly recognizable to him, only because Ben had never seen her worn makeup. And yet he looked straight at her face. It seemed a lot more darker, more worn. Her hair was now more red than brunette. She took no notice of Ben as he was still in the darkness where he could not be seen and continued to dance for the crowd. 

Ben was now at a cross between enraged and enticed. This was the first time he had ever seen Rey so bare. As well-built as she seemed, Ben could see a small glimpse of her ribcage in the light. She was still incredibly small, incredibly skinny compared to the other dancers.

And yet, she was still so incredibly beautiful that Ben was on the verge of absolute insanity. His mind had never been so overwhelmed. His only saving grace was the absence of Snoke.

The crowd was getting unusually silent. Only a few rowdy folks, including Unkar and Teedo, were laughing or hollering and Ben was resisting every urge in his body to go over to their table and slaughter the living shit out of them.

While a few crumpled bills were thrown at the stage, they seemed to have stopped. Then Ben could hear a man from a nearby table shout, “This girl's got no ass!” And the crowd seemed to roar in laughter.

“FLAAAAAAAT!!! YOU'RE FLAAAAAAAT!!!!!”

Amidst the laughter came a series of boos and hisses. The clientele of AT-AT, were of low breed, and were far more interested in bigger, bustier, women...of which Rey was far from the type. Her body was far too small and natural for a stage like this. 

“ **WE WANT THE BIG TIDDIES!** ”

A cheer erupted from the crowd followed by more boos and demands for Rey to get off the stage. 

Ben heard a man from the table in front of him say to his companion, “I know how to make this more interesting. Show the nips!” And then he saw a plastic cup fly across the stage and crash onto Rey's chest. She stopped the dance, disoriented from what had just happened. The beer from the cup completely soaked her from the hair down to the belly and the top she wore began to thin. 

Ben didn't waste a second reacting. 

He jumped over and threw the man who had thrown the beer against the table causing it to instantly break. The two men were now on the floor and Ben was determined to go Kylo Ren on him...determined to rip him to shreds. 

Scores of others descended upon the fight either to assist or to try and break it up but rest assured, chairs and fists began to fly. Hux was trapped in the masses only able to break free to cower under a table. 

Ben took no notice of the hoard above him until he was finally pulled away by a couple of descending bouncers, his face and his fists covered in blood. If only he had his sword with him. As he was pulled up, his eyes met Unkar's, who seemed both surprised and furious to see Ben in the same club as him. “THROW HIM OUT!” He demanded.

As the bouncers began to drag Ben away, he desperately tried to look up to see the stage. When he did, it was empty and the lights were out. Rey had long fled.

The bouncers gave Ben an unceremonious toss out of the front door. “You're not allowed back!” they yelled. How on earth did Unkar had that kind of authority to ban anyone from a place like this? 

It was something he didn't have time to dwell on. Ben wiped his nose and mouth, then quickly went around the side of the building. The streets were much quieter now with few people hanging about. But he spotted one lone person under a light infront of the club's back exit...wearing a long trench coat...nervously fumbling to light an object in their hands.

“REY!”

As Ben got closer, Rey panicked and tried to back away. “What are you doing?! You can't let Unkar see you here!”

He ignored her. “This?! This is what you've been doing?!”

“Un...Unkar has connections with the owner...said they were looking for girls and I had to take it.” She finally looked at him but it was hard. Her eyes were looking bloodshot, irritated. “It's not a shameful job! I would have taken it years ago if I knew I was getting so much money.”

“But you're not are you?” he said. Ben was able to put the pieces together. “He hasn't let you keep a single tip you've earned, has he?” Then he looked at Rey's hands and grabbed the object. “A crack pipe? Rey...”

“Give that back!” Rey demanded snatching the pipe back from him. “I need it tonight!”

Ben felt shock...pity. How could this be Rey? What had happened to her in one week that caused her to change so much? “What happened?” he asked her. “What happened to the girl who would not give up?”

“It's obvious isn't it?” she said. “Or have you forgotten where you are? I haven't but it only took me until now to accept it.” She didn't even flinch when Ben reached out to touch her cheek. She seemed much more emotionless. “I gotta go back in. I have a private session in five minutes.”

Ben now understood why she had the crack pipe tonight. “With Unkar?!”

Rey was quiet. Her eyes were everywhere but they could never meet his. She could only turn away from him. “Goodnight, Ben.” 

She scanned her card and disappeared through the back door where Ben could not follow. He stood there...unable to comprehend. He felt a part of him had just died...worse than that, a part of him that he wanted to hold onto. 

And now a voice...no...an urge of rage was beginning to build up inside of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My favorite part of this chap was writing Hux as an arrogant pussy. LOL


	6. Private

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben is forbidden from seeing Rey again. :(
> 
> But he has ways around that. ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More dark stuff but I swear a treat is coming. Did I mention how I am loving all the new readers and reviewers? You'll get some goodies soon with this story. Just trust me on this. :D

“Wake up!”

Ben slowly opened his eyes. At first he thought he was lying in an alleyway giving the stench of garbage and the pain in his back. 

“Pathetic.” Snoke's voice sounded painful as if it went straight into his eardrum. “How on earth do you accomplish anything without me?”

His head had been throbbing so he turned his body to relieve the pressure. It took time for his eyes to adjust and recognize the familiar surroundings of his littered apartment room floor. The memory of how he got there though was very vague. Flashes of his night at the strip club...and of Rey...pounded at his brain...tormenting him.

“Did I…?” Ben asked himself. “Did I kill anyone?”

“Not since last week,” Snoke assured him. “You opted for quite the binge to ease your blue balls.”

His memory of what he had done after the strip club was blank other than his own clothes smelling of drugs and alcohol. Ben knew Snoke wasn't happy about any of it. He had been failing in his task. He had been too distracted by the great pursuit. 

“Oh just go find her and fuck her already,” Snoke said with great agitation. “Get it out of your system so that we can move on to more important business!”

Ben was now on his knees in his slow effort to get up. “She won't...”

“Then force it on her if you have to!”

That made Ben more alert. “You mean...” He never imagined that Snoke would suggest such a thing considering his disgust with sex. Yet, when Ben was much younger and his mind less in his control, there had been a fleeting thought of the idea once or twice. How else was he ever going to know love? How else was he ever going to get laid unless he were to aggressively take it for himself?

Since then, the thought of raping someone had not crossed his mind. He resented Snoke for making him cross the moral line of killing over and over again. Now, he was tempting him in the worst possible way. And after seeing Rey last night, it would be much harder to control. She had given him the gift of true sexual release. How he craved to know her in all the ways since then. Seeing her almost naked was driving him to his breaking point.

“No!” Ben grabbed an empty beer bottle from the floor and randomly threw it against the wall. “No...” he said again stumbling through the room. He could not sink anymore than he already had. He would not let Snoke drag him down to such a level. He dropped to his knees again, attempting to control his conflicted morals. “I want...I wanted her to come to me willingly.”

He could hear Snoke laugh. “Well, that shouldn't be a problem considering her new profession.”

Ben threw himself against the sofa chair he truly believed that Snoke was sitting in. It only resulted in him breaking the chair with his strength and him crashing to the floor again remaining all alone in his apartment. Snoke would return to taunt him again another day. 

The bowels of Jakku, the very depths of this hellhole, had been underestimated, even by him. They've taken Rey, broken what she had hold onto for so long...and now it would take him, destroy what little there was left of himself. 

He could spill blood in every square inch of this place and it wouldn't rectify a thing. Ben was starting to think he wouldn't be able to strike fear into the souls of others as he easily could. He was starting to wonder whether he could even become Kylo Ren anymore.

It was his scheduled day off and he was grateful for that, though Ben wasn't even sure if he still had a job considering how he completely abandoned Hux in the chaos of last night. He could lie in the mess of his apartment all day if he wanted to because mentally and emotionally, he was THAT weak.

**POUND! POUND! POUND!**

With what little strength he had left, Ben pushed himself up from his own wreckage. His back was still in terrible pain as he stumbled his way to the door, not even bothering to check the peephole before opening it. 

Big mistake.

“Enjoyed the show last night?”

Unkar took one large step after another into Ben's living room, not even flinching at whatever he was crushing under his massive feet. Ben only backed a bit away from him to make room. But he had no fear of him, only disgust.

And judging from the odor surrounding him, it too seemed that Unkar had a bit too much to drink and the pink in his eyes suggested that he was also quite tweaked. He was still in far better personal shape than Ben was at the moment despite being no taller than him, just rounder. 

He had not been happy about seeing Ben at the strip club and his anger showed. “You and I had an understanding about the girl when you moved in here. Didn't think I would know about your little get-togethers? Well considered them finished!”

Ben was unresponsive. He wasn't going to give Unkar the satisfaction of displaying any kind of weakness. The only thing that was running through his mind right now was the quickest and quietest way to kill him.

Unkar was starting to get agitated with him. “Since you don't seem to get it, I'll explain it to you in clear English. The other tenants know all about her situation. They know that I'm the one who raised her...kept a roof over her head...all after her junkie whore of a mother dumped her like Jakku garbage. And I paid for all of it out of my own pocket. She'd be working the corner right now if it weren't for me!”

Ben could feel every drop of saliva that Unkar spat as he spoke but his mind was far too focused on the broken bottle lying on the floor...so close to his foot. His sword was in his bedroom, far out of his reach. He would need to figure out a way to pick the glass up and be ready to use it if he had to. 

To his surprise, however, Unkar's demeanor began to change to something calmer but still quite rough. “I've been a generous man to her long enough. She's never gonna have the money to pay me back. But I deserve payment...in other ways...I'm entitled to what's mine. Wouldn't you agree?”

Ben bent down to reach for the bottle. All he needed was one quick slash to the right fold of Unkar's fat neck, and he wouldn't be able to scream. If he had time, he'd even give his eyes a few stabbings.

Before his hands to even touch the glass, he felt Unkar grab his arm and then push him back away. Had he seen what he was about to do? Did he realize how close Ben was to killing him? Apparently not. Unkar had only pushed him to make himself feel bigger in his presence than he felt he already was. 

“In any case, now that she has a paying job, I'll be able to fix up that apartment and lease it again. Which means she'll be moving back in with me real soon.” Unkar began to turn and made his way to the door. This was Ben's window of opportunity but something was stopping him from seizing it...weakness? Why couldn't he just kill the fat slob when every nerve in his body was screaming at him to?

“So hear me,” he said looking back at Ben. “If I catch even as a whiff of your near her again, I'm gonna crush your neck...and bash your face permanently into the side of this building. You got it?”

Unkar slammed the door with a might that could be felt throughout the entire complex. And Ben was left feeling weaker than he ever had been in his life. Why did he hesitate? A part of him believed that it would have compromised the mission. San Tekka was a greater priority. But even priorities never stopped him if he really wanted something. 

He was starting to think that Snoke had been right. The girl had become too much of a distraction. There was no way getting around that. 

Ben returned to his bedroom hoping to ease the pain with release. But Unkar had pretty much ruined that idea. He couldn't even look at his grandfather's helmet, feeling that he had failed him in every possible way. 

Even if “getting it out of his system” was even the answer, he would have a hard time finding Rey in the daylight, much less get near her. She had now become an invisible presence. The alleyway outside his window was lifeless without her now that she was a girl of the night...a girl of other other men. The thought enraged Ben that he almost destroyed his own helmet that he found lying on the floor.

That's when a whopping realization hit him…

__________________________________________________________ 

The manager of The AT-AT was a frail small man who was too old for the job, especially spending the day hours cleaning up from the nights of spectacle. As long as the money came in, he didn't seem to mind it.

He had just finished counting all the cash from the bar when he heard a door slam...then footsteps.

“We're closed! Come back at 6!” he called out.

The footsteps continued to move, soft but disturbing. The man had a whole view of the club from the main bar. His eyes scanned every inch of the place they could but the room was still empty. And he had been the only one there. Who the hell would be visiting knowing the club wouldn't be open for hours?

He put the money down and grabbed a gun from under the counter. It had to be people coming to rob the place. The club made too much money for this kind of thing to not occur.

The footsteps were now getting louder.

“I said get out! I'll call the cops!”

The manager turned believing he spotted someone but was greeted with dark emptiness. Then he relaxed, turned the other way and screamed.

The gun fell out of his hands as soon as he saw him...the man in the gas helmet standing infront of him. 

“I take it that you know who I am,” the mechanical voice spoke.

The manager did. He read of Kylo Ren everyday in the papers but he had been a bit more skeptical of his existence than others in Jakku. But now he stood before Kylo Ren in the flesh...filled with absolute fear. He couldn't reach his gun, so instead his arm reached for the phone at the bar.

“Do not call the police,” commanded Kylo Ren.

He must have been too terrified to hear because he still reached for the phone anyway. And in that split second, Kylo Ren pulled out his sword and brought it down on the phone slicing it in two. The man was lucky to not have lost any fingers. “WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!”

“I'm sorry!” the manager pleaded. “I'm sorry! Here! Take as much as you want from the bar!” He opened the register and started pulling cash out of it. “Take it all! Don't kill me!”

“I've not come to rob you,” said Kylo Ren. “But you will do what I ask of you if you wish to live.”

The man nodded his head.

“There are rumors that you have a hidden room in your establishment with no security presence?”

“Yes…,” the man said nervously. “I rent it out for...you know, deals? Or just whatever you want to do in there...even with the girls. If you got the money...”

“You will give me that room every night for the rest of the week. The one you call Sandy, I request an audience with her in there.”

“She's...she's been taken. The room too. I-I-I can get you any other girl you want...”

Kylo Ren's sword quickly swerved stopping just an inch from the man's neck. “You will get me the room and you get me Sandy! I will take no other! And you will cancel all other reservations. I don't wish to share.”

“Okay! Okay!” 

To the frightened man's surprise, Kylo Ren pulled out a large wad of bills and placed it on the bar. “This should motivate you more than my sword. I will return tonight. You will leave the back door unlock and no one is to know of my coming. Do we have a deal?”

The man only shook his head watching Kylo Ren disappear into the darkness. 

__________________________________________________________ 

The night service was in full swings and the girls were already stepping out. The manager nervously headed to the dressing room and found Rey was still sitting there infront of the mirror...hesitant to even go on after the humiliation of last night. 

“Sandy? There's been a change in plans for you tonight.”

Rey groaned. “What does Unkar want now?”

“Um...actually, it's not Unkar. You're still going to the back room, but for someone else. Paid me twice more than he did.”

“What?”

“Well...you don't have to go. I mean...it's up to you if you want to but I wouldn't say 'no' to this guy...I just wouldn't. He specifically asked for you.”

The tone in the man's voice made Rey concerned. “Who is he?” she asked. Who in the hell would pay so much for private time with her that wasn't Unkar?

“I'm sorry...” was all the manager could say. “I'm so sorry.” He quickly left the room unable to speak of the situation further. 

Sorry for what? Sorry that he didn't know who the man was or sorry that he did? If it was the latter then Rey didn't know what to do. It wasn't unusual for customers to request a certain girl but the uneasiness of it all was what bothered her.

The backroom, as they called it, was more private than the lounges. Really expensive but one could do whatever they wanted to in there with no security. It wasn't a room that strip clubs were supposed to have, but since when has Jakku ever been known for its lawfulness? Rey wished she could say that she was unfamiliar with the backroom. But as of last night, she wasn't.

It couldn't get worse than Unkar, she thought. It took her a whole week to adjust to dancing naked for ruthless animals and be guaranteed little in return for it. If this man paid so much money for the backroom, then hopefully he would be able to pay her enough, make up for last night's disaster.

But she still wanted it to be her final decision. She would go in just to see this man for herself. If it seemed worth it, she would do it. If not, she wasn't going to waste her time.

While everyone else was enjoying themselves on the club floor, Rey headed down the back hallways alone. She past by the back door entrance to the club and found it to be both unguarded and unlocked. That unnerved her as she made her way to the door that said “janitor's closet”. The janitor's closet was just a cover though. It was really the entryway to the secret backroom.

The room was small. The size of a bedroom with only a sofa against one wall. What little lighting there was it was dimmed in red.

Rey failed to peek in before entering. She just walked in, closing the door behind her.

And then she turned to see him there waiting on that sofa. 

“No,” she said refusing to believe she was now in a room alone with the masked serial killer Kylo Ren.


	7. Duality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly flashback. (With some dark stuff and all so proceed w/ caution I guess.) It ended up being longer to write than I thought so the goods I promised will be delayed a wee bit longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also I know I haven't responded to reviews and such but holy hell, you are wonderful people! I have people reading this story that I never thought in a million years would be interested in this story! I love you all so much. :)

_The world that Rey had known all her life in Jakku had been survivable. It was the little things in the past week that slowly got bigger and threw everything into chaos._

_The first of which, was Unkar informing her that he was shutting down his scrap metal business, claiming that he was no longer making a profit. It would explain why she had been getting so little for her metals recently than what she had been used to._

_But the business, what little Rey could earn from it, had been her only means of living...of feeding herself...for so long. She was foolish to think it would stick around forever, or that she would be far away from Jakku doing better things with her life by then._

_She had begun to regret walking out on Ben the night he offered her that key._

_Before she even had a chance to consider going back to talk to him, Unkar came to her about his friend's strip club looking for girls and she was quick to say no, regardless of the fact that she could no longer support herself. He wasn't begging but he wasn't leaving her alone about it either. Rey was determined to find another way despite her lack of options._

_Then came the threats to kick her out of the building. Rey just needed more time, she thought, to find better work out there._

_But patience was not one of Unkar's strongest suits. Not even a few days after and she was left with a large shiner to the face and a kick down the apartment stairs when she refused to leave the building. That was when Rey relented, but he still practically dragged her to The AT-AT anyway._

_They told her she wouldn't be selling herself for sex. They would only pay to see her naked. It wasn't very assuring, but given her (lack of) options, Rey tried to be cautiously optimistic. If she got enough money quickly, then she wouldn't be stuck there forever. She could get out, pay Unkar, and put all of this behind her quickly._

_Her first night on the job, she was on the waitstaff, which she preferred. The customers were still quite grabby and selfish but she felt less exposed and less pressured. A few drinks helped her get through the difficult moments of the job but deep down, Rey thought that something stronger would be needed._

_When she was able to end the shift with a decent amount of tips, Rey became a bit more hopeful that this could work. If she planned it out right, she could give Unkar a large share then keep enough for her to live and eat until the next work day._

_But as soon as she got home, Unkar had her patted down, taking from her every single dollar she had earned. His excuse being that he got her the job so it was only fair._

_There was nothing fair about it. There was nothing fair about the fact that Rey had been suddenly pushed to work on the stage instead of at the tables where she was more comfortable. By this time, she feared what Unkar would do to her if he got word that she was turning down a higher pay. Her bruises from her last confrontation with him had barely healed._

_During all that time, Rey had been avoiding Ben, fleeing from him when she heard him call out to her. She couldn't let him see what she had become._

_Then her first night on the stage. A night of absolute pain and humiliation._

_Rey had been assured that she would do well. She was new. She was young. She could get more in a night than what she would have gotten working a whole week on waitstaff. Backstage, she had a few drinks to get her in the mood. There would be no way to get through this new job otherwise._

_Then came a tug and a painful snap of her halter strap striking her bare skin. She gave a cry of pain and then turned to see who was responsible._

_“A bit too revealing. I didn't think you had it in you.”_

_Rey crossed her chest at the sight of Unkar. “What are you doing here?!”_

_“Just here as a paying customer...,” he said looking her up and down. “...for most of the week. Just don't expect any tips from me.”_

_Rey was not going to stand for this. “I'm not going on if you're here! I don't have to!”_

_Unkar laughed. “What are you gonna do? Quit?”_

_“I think I will actually!”_

_“How you gonna eat then huh? Who's going to help you out? Your boyfriend? The one in 21? You think he'll want anything to do with you once he sees what you'll do for a fucking buck?”_

_Rey hated Unkar for being right. Ben would be repulsed if he saw her now. Her stomach growled only reminding her of the severity of her situation. She wished that security wasn't so laxxing and would just throw Unkar's big ass out. But his connections to the place probably gave him the power to leave the two of them alone where they were._

_“I wouldn't quit just yet if I were you. I've already paid a lot of money for our little meeting after your set.”_

_Rey blinked. “What? What are you talking about?”_

_“Come on. Do you really think I would get you a job here and not get a free private show from you out of it? I think it's the least you can do for me.”_

_She was already looking around...sick...desperate...looking for a way out of this. “You're sick! I'm leaving!” Rey tried to go around the man, but he held her arm back._

_Unkar was practically growling at her now. “I happen to know people who can take a man out...make it look like they died in their sleep. I'd hate for your new friend to be one of them.”_

_“You leave him out of it! He's got nothing to do with us!”_

_“That's where you're wrong, girl. Word in the building is that he's been stalking you like a lovesick puppy. I think that man needs to be taught about respecting people's property!”_

_Rey had never been a violent person, other than when she needed to defend herself. For the first time, her desire to kill Unkar wasn't even out of self-protection. She was starting to develop a blind bloodlust. But no action came. She only froze there, allowing Unkar to loosen his grip on her, now that he had her in a tight corner._

_He leaned in letting his fingers toy with her strap some more. “After the show, you'll come…,” he said. “Or there's going to be a dead man on your floor tomorrow.”_

_Everything was a blur after Unkar left. Rey was walking from one part of the backstage area to the other, looking for something...anything to make this night go away. Eventually, she had no choice but to resort to asking the other women for help. She would need something to calm her...something to make what she would have to do tonight seem easy, fast, and forgettable._

_By the time an older dancer had offered her a crack pipe, it had been time for Rey to go on stage. She accepted it though, knowing that she wasn't going to face Unkar again without at least one smoke._

_How she wished that being booed at, insulted, and having beer thrown at her by a rowdy weekend audience HAD been her lowest. As soon as the riot broke out, Rey wasted no time disappearing backstage retrieving the crack pipe. Her set was pretty much over before it even began. She estimated not even $30 worth of tips from her brief time on._

_And then, as she went outside to try and get the pipe lit, the last person she wanted to see her there did._

_Seeing Ben made her panic at the thought of what Unkar would do to him if he saw him speaking to her. All the while Ben was feeling pity for her. She didn't deserve any of that from him. For the first time that night, Rey was realizing that she was on her way to falling down the rabbit hole her mother had gone, with that crack pipe in hand._

_She wondered, was this how it started for her? If so, then how was it going to end? She heard that it only took a few puffs to become an addict and there was no going back from that. If she took the crack, then it was only a matter of time before it would no longer be her mother's debt that she'd be paying...it would be her own._

_Pushing Ben away had been the only option as she went back inside and looked at herself in the mirror. The pinkness in her eyes had come from the drinks and from the stress of this godless night. What difference would the drugs do for her now?_

_She continued to fight her inner thoughts...her temptations...for another few minutes until she was told that Unkar was waiting for her._

_Then she angrily threw the crack pipe at the floor and watched it shatter._

_Living in Jakku meant a lifetime of bottling up her emotions. Rey had cried in the past, but she couldn't say that she had truly broken down._

_Tonight, however, she had enough reason to._

_“You want your tips?”_

_This broke Rey out of her mental trance. She had shut her mind off the whole hour she had to strip and dance for Unkar, only being consoled by her mental desire to murder him. He spent the whole time oogling at her, but much to Rey's disturbance, he never tried to advance on her or even demand anything further beyond a show. She wasn't stupid. He was mentally playing with her. Why not just get it over with?_

_“What?” she asked._

_“I said, do you want your tips back?”_

_This had to be a mind game, she thought. But what exactly was Unkar playing at. It was hard for her to think when his grip on her hips was giving her bruises. She nodded her head honestly._

_“I'll leave my door unlock tonight,” he said finally releasing the grip. “And the first words I hear from you better be 'Please, daddy'.”_

_When her shift ended, Rey ran._

_But not to Niima Townhouse._

_Her home, her shelter from the streets, was now the only place she couldn't go. She knew he was waiting for her...expecting her. She knew that he would probably beat her half to death tomorrow by standing him up._

_If she was lucky, maybe she'll run into the great killer Kylo Ren himself. He could end her life, then toss her corpse into a dumpster and it would still be a fitting end to her night._

_The cold became too much for Rey as she tried to look for some abandoned car to sleep in. She had feared these streets for so long, heard every horror story in the world about what would become of girls like her, but none of that seemed to matter to her anymore._

_With no such shelter available, Rey resorted to curling herself up under one of the few working streetlights. The light provided her no warmth but she would let her mind pretend otherwise._

_When she heard approaching footsteps, she didn't even bother to look up. “Pardon me child.” The shadow of an old man loomed over Rey. “Are you in need of shelter tonight?”_

_Rey looked up. The old wrinkly man seemed cleaned cut, didn't look like a beggar or a homeless man at all. He had white facial hair all over that was neatly kept. If he let it grow, Rey thought, he would eventually look like Santa Claus._

_“Do I have to give you anything?” she asked him._

_The old man looked confused. “Oh...no. I have a mission just around the corner.”_

_A mission? In all her years Rey had lived in Jakku, she never imagined any religious organization trying to even make a dent into saving the souls of Jakku, considering that there wasn't much that could be saved._

_Reluctant but cautious, she followed the man to a building that looked like a construction site. “We've yet to open to the public. The kitchen is only half done. But there is a couch in the lobby.”_

_The man led Rey into the lobby but there were no lights. At least it was a bit warmer, though she could still feel the breeze from outside. “The workers will be off all day tomorrow. You're free to stay here until they return.”_

_Rey never got the chance to thank the old man. He had quickly gone. It was as if he silently understood that Rey just wanted to finally be alone._

_The loneliness was the only thing that gave her peace._

She could have stayed on that couch forever...never return to the apartment building or to her job. But she knew that Unkar would eventually track her down and drag her back to her life...to her prison. Why hold off the inevitable?

Which was why she was now in a room alone with Kylo Ren, shaking uncontrollably.

Was this a joke? A trap? 

He was sitting calmly on that couch daring not to make a move, and even with the mask on, Rey knew that he was watching her intensely.

She didn't know what else to do other than to turn around and reach for the door that would get her out of this.

“I've paid for my time.”

A voice, deep and eery seemed to echo the small room and Rey was unable to move. The statement sounded less a threat and more of a fact, but this didn't ease her in the slightest. “...and you will be paid for yours,” he said.

Rey lowered her hand from the door. This time, she was far more cautious to turn and face him again. Every half a second, she feared the moment when Kylo Ren would immediately rise to slice her throat...or perhaps he was waiting until after the hour when he got what he wanted out of her. 

He did rise from his seat, but only to meet Rey in the middle of the room. He was clearly investigating her new outfit which was thankfully different from the night before, and far less revealing.

“Velvet,” he said taking note of the fabric. She looked like she was wearing a fancy red bikini. “It looks good on you.”

Rey did not like the way he was speaking to her as if he was already too familiar with her. Which only made her wonder why he had requested for her specifically when she had never encountered this man in her entire miserable life? She wasn't all that special.

“Were you...” Rey struggled to find the words. “You saw me last night?”

“I did,” he said. “But unlike those ravenous animals, I have a greater appreciation for the smaller form.”

“Thanks, I guess?” Now Rey felt like this famous serial killer was trying to mess with her. As soon as silenced filled the room again, Rey could only try and stare him down. She needed to be the one to initiate things...not him. “Well...now,” she spoke. “Anything particular you want me to do, Mr. Kylo Ren?”

Beneath the mask, Ben could not help but be enamored by the return of Rey's spirit. He had to control himself, remember that she did not know that it was him, nor did he want her to just yet. This would be the only time he could get close to her...to perhaps even touch her. He wanted to make it count.

“I believe it is part of your job to ensure you empty me of every dollar I have, and I will be pleased to do so,” he said. “We shall do what you desire, and rest assured, I will obey your every command.”


	8. Marked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The "goodies" chapter. I'll leave it at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I slaved for 24 hrs and got a hand cramp to give you this. I hope it's worth it. :)

The music began to play and Rey took three deep breaths. Her back was turned from Kylo Ren, a risky move but so was staying in the room with him. He remained on the sofa, calm, and unusually patient. If Rey hesitated much longer than chances were he would kill her. However, if he really was paying her like he said, then Rey would do her best to treat him like any other customer. 

She looked down at him again, and Rey felt grateful to be wearing high heels. Feeling taller would at least give her some confidence and control. She wrapped her legs around the lone pole in that small room and twirled herself around. Whatever she could do that would appeal to the man, she would do it. Rey kept a firm grasp on the pole and leaned back, lifting one leg up as high as she could. Then she would twirl herself around the pole again.

Kylo Ren's silence was assuring at first, but now it was beginning to disturb her. Rey was trying to keep her eyes on him as she danced, but chances were that underneath the mask, he was likely doing the same thing. The hardest part for Rey was not knowing what he was thinking...not knowing if he was truly satisfied or was remaining silent in his dissatisfaction...bottling it up until he would clearly make it known. 

The heckling she got from the night before would have been more preferred, at least those men were very vocal in their disgust of her. But she would remind herself, that this wouldn't be like it was with Unkar. She owed him nothing. She would survive tonight by giving Kylo Ren only what she thought he earned.

With her back against the pole, she tried swaying her hips. He still seemed unresponsive. Then after a minute more of her twisting and turning her body for him, he made a request.

“Come closer.”

Rey stopped at first, unsure if she heard him right. She watched him pulled something out of the pocket of his black clothing. On the sofa armrest, Kylo Ren was placing a large wad of cash.

That was her cue to approach. She stopped just a foot or two from where Kylo Ren sat, his hand still over the cash. “What have I earned for this?” he asked her.

She could see the number 20 sticking out from almost every little slip (and swore she saw even a few 50s) and her heart paced with excitement. Hell, some girls would fuck a man for less than what he was holding.

But she stopped herself as Rey was faced with the terrible reminder that the cash was only temporary. It would be lining Unkar's pockets before the sun came up and all of this would be for nothing.

Nonetheless, Kylo Ren had paid for this experience. If she were to fail on her part, he could easily take his resentment out on the rest of the club. Rey did not want to be held accountable for that.

So she reached around behind her back and unhook the strap that kept her top on, then removed the straps from her shoulders. There should be a voice in her head screaming at her...telling her to stop what she was doing. Instead, she was now dangling the red velvet bra in one hand until, with great reluctance, she let it drop to the floor.

And then she closed her eyes. Apart some the music that had now become simply background noise, Rey swore that she could hear deep breathing coming from the mask of her customer. It was soft but it was distinct. She was scared to look down at Kylo Ren to see what he could be thinking, but suspected that he was quietly taking it all in.

She almost forgotten about her purpose and started swaying her hips again. For once second Rey's eyes were open and she was looking down. Her breasts were now just inches away from Kylo's face. They were far from bouncy due to their small size and only moved in a slow fluid motion. Surely that was going to make him disappointed would it?

“May I?” he asked.

Rey gave a slight nod of approval but for what she wasn't even sure. She watched him lift up two large gloved hands. He didn't even look down as he removed one black glove and then the other.

To her surprise, his hands were huge...and seemed almost familiar. She had no time to think of from where as they came to hold her at the waist. The cold, smooth trail of his touch began to travel upward and Rey gave a slight gasp when the felt the slight brush of his fingers against her soft delicate nipples. The movement stop when Kylo's hands stopped just where he desired them to be. They were now replacements for the fabric she had just removed as each breast was cupped comfortably into his large sweaty palms.

She didn't realized until now that she had stopped dancing. She was busy holding bated breath...waiting to see what the great killer Kylo Ren's move was next.

After a few moments, Kylo began to move only his thumbs, tucking them in until they found Rey's nipples. He buried the tip of his thumbs into them as much as he could and then started pushing them around, moving them in a circular motion. He did it relentlessly for several long minutes and Rey did nothing, said nothing to stop him. 

Underneath the mask, Ben could not believe that he was actually touching her. He had dreamed. He had fantasized about this ever since she came into his apartment for the first time. He wanted to practice self control, but as Kylo Ren, he wasn't sure if he could. He only knew that as Ben, he wouldn't be able to do what he was doing right now but as Kylo Ren, there was confidence...there was power. 

Rey flinched as she struggled to not make anymore sounds. But Kylo's hands were on the move again sliding back down and stopping at the last remaining fabric that covered her. 

There was no turning back from this. There was too much risk in breaking the moment. So Rey relaxed herself. Her silent sign of permission...and once again closed her eyes as Kylo Ren pulled the fabric all the way down to her heels. 

She had only learned to how shave her region a few days ago as the job required. Her inexperience with it made obvious by the red bumps and nicks that stuck out ruining whatever perfection Kylo Ren had expected from seeing her in the flesh.

But Kylo...Ben...whoever he was at the moment...saw no such imperfections. To him, the ancient sculptors of the past could not have carved better than the one he now held in his hands. If he could have her like this for eternity, then he would never shed a single drop of blood in his life again. There was no Snoke to taunt him or badger him. His mind had never felt calmer.

He gestured her to turn and she obeyed. The backside of her was just as breathtaking as the front. His eyes traveled downward stopping just before taking in her buttocks. He froze at the sight of four small bruises lined up on both sides of her at the hip. 

Unkar. The name infuriated him...made him regret every single second he was allowing that man to be remain alive.

He abruptly stood up from the sofa causing Rey to jump. She could sense a sudden change in Kylo's mood despite having her back turned. Should she face him again? Should she run?

She gasped for a second time when she felt Kylo's head resting against the back of her own. The room may have been cold but it was now far from the reason her whole body was shaking. After everything she had endured, she was now feeling more vulnerable that she ever had in her short life.

“Tell me,” he whispered as his hands came to covet her waist again. “Do you believe that I brought you here to die?”

“I...I don't know,” Rey mumbled. Her shaking was getting worse. “Am I?” She knew that few people had ever lived to see the great killer in person and she doubt that any had ever survived getting this close to him as she was now.

His head was now resting on her shoulder. “You are not here to die. I brought you here so that I may live. My life's work...it consumes me. My mind never rests. Having you here right now, it helps me.”

“Why me?” she asked. Her eyes were getting watery. She was nothing to him. She had to be. What other explanation was there for all of this?

“Shh...enough for now.” Kylo wrapped an arm around Rey pulling her to him, locking her more like it, in his embrace. His other hand was now resting on her thigh but it was slowly moving closer and closer inward.

It was a subconscious decision as Rey slightly parted her legs. She looked down and could only see a reminder of how ridiculously huge Kylo's hands were. Then her head quickly shot up and she yelped. She felt his fingers pressing into the folds rubbing them relentlessly. She thought it was pain at first. Whenever Unkar groped her, that was usually the intent. But this was starting to feel unusually satisfying.

It only felt uncomfortable when he stopped touching her...until a few seconds later when she those same fingers began to penetrate her. Rey was now short of breath. The fingers of Kylo Ren were digging themselves deeper into her than would be possible for any other man. The feeling was so foreign to Rey that it led her body (and possibly her mind) to react irrationally. She lifted an arm until it found itself hook around Kylo's neck. Now she was the one pulling him to her, closing whatever bit of gap remained between them. 

She also felt something like a stab or a bump pressing against her backside. 

Ben had never gotten an erection this quickly before. What he wouldn't give to just drag Rey to his bed and let her free him for a second time, but he was patient. He was already satisfied with what this girl had given him, and tonight he would return the favor. 

A slow thrust of his fingers and Rey was trembling, making noises that she never thought she was capable of. And all the while, Kylo Ren was silent. It could very well be his disturbing manipulative way of killing her for all Rey knew...to pleasure her to death.

When his fingers started moving faster, she leaned herself back. The wet trickling feel between her legs only intensified the need to cling to Kylo...until he pulled his fingers out of her for good. He then freed her from his grasp and her entire body felt so loose, so wobbly that she was starting to collapse from the loss of support.

Kylo quickly reacted by holding her arm to keep her steady and balanced. He then pulled out a black handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his own moist fingers with. “You can wipe yourself with this,” he said handing the handkerchief off to her.

Rey was exhausted as she took the cloth to her legs, collecting every bit of the gooey substance from her skin. It made her near embarrassed to see all that cum glisten on the black fabric in her hand. 

Before she could throw the handkerchief away, Kylo quickly took it back from her. “I will keep that...as a souvenir from tonight,” he said folding the wet cloth and put it back in his pocket. “Have I overstayed my welcome?”

Rey shook her head, “no”. She was more honest than she wanted to admit.

“Could I make one more request?”

Rey nodded her head.

“Close your eyes.”

She didn't hesitate to do and even waited patiently. But she stiffened when she felt something being wrapped around her head, a blindfold. An extra precaution to be sure she could not see what he was about to do.

“It's nothing foreboding,” he assured her. “I promise.”

She felt Kylo secure the blindfold and it was soon followed by an unusual series of clicks.

God, she thought when it became clear. He was taking off the mask. She desperately wanted to take off the blindfold to ease her curiosity but she knew he wouldn't allow it. 

With the mask off, Kylo would alas be able to taste her. It was too surreal for him. He lifted her cheek and needed to breath it all in...to savor the moment.

When his lips touched hers, he could not help but unleash a soft moan. He had to remain silent, not make any more sounds, less he wanted to give his identity away. To his surprise, as soon as Rey felt his lips on hers she responded back in a kind of desperate manner, wanting their lips to cling to one another as much as they could. 

Eventually he pulled his lips from hers and his eyes began to trail her neck. He hated to do this without much warning, but it was a must. It was his only way of sending a clear message to Unkar...to every man in Jakku...that Rey belonged to him now and there would be consequences for anyone who dared to defy that.

He kissed her neck until he came upon the perfect spot. Gently his teeth nibbled into the skin. Rey gasped. The pain was slight but she could tolerate it. Kylo was careful not to be biting down too hard.

When he let go of her, a dark purple spot had appeared in place of his mouth. Satisfied with his work, he put his mask back on and then removed the blindfold from Rey.

The voice of Kylo Ren spoke once more. “I fear our hour is up.” He picked up his gloves to put them back on, then went to retrieve the money from the sofa. “I hope this is enough.”

“It is,” she said taking the money from him. More than enough in her opinion. “Thank you.”

“I have arranged it...” said Kylo. “...so that you are to have no other appointments...no other customers but myself.”

“You're coming back tomorrow?” she asked as she was putting her clothes back on. 

“If that is what you wish.”

She whispered. “Yes.”

“Then it shall be done.” He took one last look at her before he strode past her to exit the room.

__________________________________________________________ 

**“WHAT THE FUCK?!!!”**

The whole club nearly went mute. Unkar had just gotten the horrible confession from his nervous-as-hell manager friend, that another man had paid to meet with Rey tonight...and that they were alone together right now.

He was a roaring animal charging through the now nervous crowds to get backstage. If it was the new guy, then he was definitely dying tonight. 

Rey had stepped out of the back room before Unkar got there. She had not expected to come face to face with him so suddenly. She was lucky to have changed back into her street clothes. Not that it would have made a difference, because the fury was all over his face. “WHERE IS HE?!”

“Who?” she asked. She tried to keep her cool but knew she had only contributed to his anger when she failed to show up in his bed last night.

“The man you were with?! Was it him?!”

“No,” she said quickly knowing he was referring to Ben and now she was truly terrified. “It wasn't...” She felt a large fist collide with her right eye.

“LIAR!” Unkar pinned her to the wall and his bloated hand was ready to strangle her neck until he caught sight of a peculiar purple spot. He knew almost instantly what it was. “Where d'you get that?”

“You don't want to know,” Rey said...hoping that she could intimidate him despite the pain and the fear she was feeling.

“Tell me!”

“Kylo Ren.” The name echoed in the hall and everyone who was backstage turned to look at Rey. She then pointed to the hickey on her neck and made sure to speak up with as much confidence in her voice as she could. “Kylo Ren was here! And he gave me this!” 

The manager had been right behind Unkar. “It's...it's true,” he said nervously. “He came to me this morning and asked for her.”

The name began making its way around the back stage. “Kylo Ren? Kylo Ren's here?” The terrified voices rang out. 

One club member began freaking out as he ran out of the hall and cried out to everyone in the club. “K-k-k-k-k-k...KYLO REN! KYLO REN'S HERE!”

People were now screaming and panicking throughout the entire club. Many were running over each other to get to the nearest exit. 

As the people backstage did the same, Rey took advantage of the momentary distraction. She had only one chance to get away from Unkar and she wasn't going to lose it. It came when one panicky dancer accidentally collided with Unkar, causing him to loosen her grip on Rey and she quickly slipped from under him. She found her way through the stampeding crowds and joined some who escaped through one of the emergency exits. 

People began to empty into the streets and spread word of Kylo Ren. And soon those streets began to empty themselves as people were running for their lives to get back into their nightly shelters...to hide from the killer who was likely to strike again.

Rey looked back and could see Unkar in the distance. She quickly disappeared into an alley but even that wouldn't be enough. The man was already on the hunt for her. 

Spotting the dumpster, Rey decided to take her chances and climbed in. She would reek but things could have been much worse. Unkar made his way toward her hiding spot, then looked around for several minutes. Rey was witnessing it all from a small opening in the dumpster. She had watched as he angrily huffed and then made his way further down the street. 

Not wanting to risk things, she waited an hour more in that dumpster until she was certain that he was gone. She pressed her chest to feel the money Kylo Ren had given her, still hidden within her bra. Unkar never got a chance to check her for money tonight, the idiot.

When she came out, the streets were now completely empty and she was their only occupant. Yet she wasn't afraid. 

She had no reason to be anymore.


	9. Circle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, I gotta apologize for the delay which was due to some illness and a bit of writer's block.
> 
> Second, anyone who is wondering why I don't respond to comments, it's cause I don't wanna mess with my comment count. :) But let it be known I do listen and appreciate all the comments. I probably should have mentioned that I'm not very good of a smut writer do I ever claim to be one. But I likes me angst and dark stuff which has been the bane of most of my writing. Believe it or not, this fic was not actually researched (sorry to those who thought I knew what I was doing. ;P) It was actually inspired by a dark fic from another fandom that I fell in love with, but was sadly never completed. That won't be the case here hopefully.
> 
> And finally, I gotta give a huge shout out to g_girl143 (aka Gwendy85 on Tumblr) whose given this story quite an unexpected boost. This chapter is dedicated to you.

Once Ben crawled through the window and was back in his apartment, he was able to breathe a sigh of relief. He had been successful in what he had wanted to do tonight, although it came with extreme risks. He went to turn off the radio he had left on to give the neighbors the illusion that he hadn't left his place the entire night...just in case Unkar suspected anything.

After removing his black attire, Ben plopped himself on the bed. His erection from tonight was still strong and now that he was alone, he could finish what Rey had started for him.

The release was as wonderful as the first time, now that he got to see her...to touch her. The night was everything he had hoped it would be. He could relive it a hundred times and he would never tire of it.

“What are you doing?” Snoke demanded. “You have lost it completely!”

“Go to hell,” Ben muttered to an empty room.

“Very well. Destroy everything we've worked for, for that harlot. You'll be found out before you have a chance to stick your dick in her, mark my words!”

As much as Ben hated it, Snoke was right. Kylo Ren's presence was going to eventually be known and he hadn't accomplished what he set out to do in Jakku. 

Yet more and more, it didn't seem to matter to him anymore. If this was the first job where he truly was destined to fail, then so be it.

__________________________________________________________ 

“Dammit! God, no!”

Rey shook and pulled the gate until she had to finally accept that it was pointless. She was lucky to even find the mission she'd been offered shelter in the night before, but now the only way in was gated and chained with a padlock. There was no sign of the old man, nor any other soul that could let her in. There was no possible way for her to break into the structure even if it had to come to that. 

This wouldn't have been that big of an issue, if it weren't for tonight being much colder...and now snowing. Snow was a rarity in Jakku. The only good thing it could bring was the quiet. Few people would bother being out in the streets in the kind of weather.

There was also the swelling around her eye that had gotten bigger. She adjusted to the pain of numerous injuries to her face over the years, but this time the pain was becoming unbearable. And then, of course, the fact that she hadn't eaten in days.

At least now she had money...though she wasn't proud of how she obtained it. There were few hotels in Jakku and none were very trustworthy. Even if Rey could afford a room tonight, she didn't feel safe sleeping in a new building filled with people in unpredictable dealings.

No longer able to handle the cold, she was left with one last option.

The lights outside of Niima Townhouse were completely out, which in her mind was a godsend. Instead of going up to the door, Rey walked around the building into the alley where she used to forage, but it only made her think about how much she miss the days of naivety and routine...where at least she could return to her mattress in her sorry excuse of a home whenever things in the streets got rough.

But chances were that Unkar had already cleaned the place out, prepared to make her homeless...to give her no other choice.

She looked up at all the windows into the building she could once call home. Only one on the top floor still had light in it and then she saw a recognizable tall, shadow...Ben's shadow.

' _He's going to want nothing to do with me,_ ' Rey thought. How could she think otherwise from what he last saw of her? And what if he knew who she had been with tonight? Would he see her as a common crack-whore now, like the rest of the women in Jakku?

The hardest part was that Ben had become the closest thing Rey ever had to a friend. Too bad she had to fuck that up as well.

She thought about scratching the very idea and leaving, but seeing the fire escape ladder already pulled down, as if beckoning her to take it, was a temptation she couldn't ignore. The wet weather made the climb slippery, but she remained cautious and silent the whole time. No one else in the building could know that she was here.

She could barely make Ben out through the window as she tapped it.

Ben couldn't believe what he was seeing. He was accustomed to watching Rey through his living room window whenever he could. He hadn't expected Rey to be the one looking back at him through the same glass.

He went to open the window, but Rey remained in the shadows not making any effort to get closer. “Hey.”

“Hey, you,” replied Ben.

“Could I...” Rey was already regretting doing this and was already thinking of turning back. “Do you think I could stay here tonight?”

She was ready for him to say no, to get lost.

Instead Ben reached his arm out through the window and pulled Rey inside. He stuck his head out to search the alley. “Did anyone see you?” 

“It's fine. Most of the building doesn't stay up this late. I'll leave before sunrise.”

In the light of the apartment, Ben was seeing a different Rey from the one in the club just a few hours ago. Her hair and clothes were soaked from the snow outside. She looked like she'd been tossed around in filth. “Rey...your eye...”

“I wouldn't get too close,” she said trying to push Ben away from him. “I don't smell very pleasant.”

Ben wondered if she only said that to keep him from asking any questions, not that he needed to. He already knew who gave her that injury. He then flinched when he finally caught the odor she warned him about. Rey muttered “long story” hoping to end the conversation there.

“You want to take a shower?”

Rey couldn't recall the last time she ever even took a real shower. She normally washed herself with sponge baths and that was only once or twice a week.

“Come on,” said Ben. He opened the door into his bedroom and led Rey through the darkness. As long as he didn't turn on the lights, she wouldn't be able to notice all the news clippings surrounding his walls. He turned all her attention instead to the door leading into the bathroom and finally turned on a light in there. “Gimme one second.” Ben left Rey in the bathroom and quickly grabbed a clean t-shirt and boxer shirts. Then when he passed them to her, he told her to take her time. He was serious about that. He needed as much time as possible to reorganize his room, hide the helmets, the news clippings, everything.

While in the shower, Rey spent much of her time fiddling with the knobs. She wasn't used to the idea of temperature-controlled water, and it made for a difficult time getting started. As for the money she got from Kylo Ren, she hid the cash in the cabinet underneath the sink, hoping that she could retrieve it before she left in the morning.

By the time she was done, Ben was able to conceal everything that he needed to. And Rey was smelling better than she ever had in years. She came back into the living room and noticed for the first time how much trash and broken things seemed to litter the place. Since the last time she was here, it looked like the place had been hit by a hurricane.

The only thing in the room standing upright was the card table which Ben had set back in its rightful position and was now cleaned and set with two piping hot TV dinners.

“Sorry about the mess,” he said as he beckoned Rey to sit down.

It now felt awkward, being back here, doing the usual dinner routine with Ben as if nothing changed. But it had and now Rey couldn't help but feel ashamed, knowing that she wasn't the same person she was when she walked out that door.

“The last time I was here…,” she said. “I...I'm sorry I walked out on you like that.”

“Rey, it's okay...”

“No, it's not. I'm just not used to people giving me something without wanting something in return. I guess you could say it's the law of Jakku.”

Ben understood more now than he wished he had. It made him feel guilty about the way he had confronted her last night. The world had forced her into the position she was in now. None of it had ever been her fault.

He was scared to ask but he had to. “Where did you sleep last night?”

“Not with him.”

He was, quite honestly, and he was relieved.

“They're building a mission about five blocks from here. The man who runs it let me spent the night there but he wasn't there tonight.”

Ben nearly dropped the glass in his hand at the word “mission”. “Who was the man? Did he tell you his name?”

“No he didn't,” said Rey. “Why do you ask?”

“It's nothing,” he said. “Go on and eat.”

It didn't take long for Rey to get her fill and it turned out the second TV dinner was not for Ben, but was also for herself. 

When she was done, Ben told Rey to go to sleep in his room. In the meantime, he gathered her dirty street clothes and took them to the only laundry room in the building. It was in a basement room right below Unkar's apartment, much to his displeasure. He could hear him stomping around upstairs even with the washer running. 

“He's coming back tomorrow.” Ben heard Unkar yell. It sounded like a phone conversation. “We'll get him then. Wait for him once his hour is up. Then we'll have the place surrounded. I don't care how many people he's killed! I'll be the one to kill him for trying to take the girl from me!”

Then he heard a phone slam, followed eventually by him going to sleep. 

So Unkar was springing a trap for the great Kylo Ren? Ben chuckled to himself. Perhaps the fat bastard had some cleverness in him, after all. Too bad for him, Ben also knew how to work around that.

__________________________________________________________ 

Rey's dreams rarely ever left Jakku, let alone the building. And tonight was no different. 

_She was back in her old apartment, daylight was dancing its way in through the cracks of the covered windows. And Rey was on her old mattress, curled up and naked._

_A shifting next to her made her realize that she wasn't alone. She turned over, fearing the worst._

_Instead, she saw the form of the masked man himself, Kylo Ren, looming over her._

_His hand reached out, and Rey was prepared for him to strangle her. She was already feeling the air leave her lungs. And then, she felt the tight squeeze, not around her neck, but around her breast._

_She didn't know how to feel about any of it, especially with what happened at the club. This was Kylo Ren, notorious murderer. He should have used his hands to kill her, not to make her feel...like this._

_From where she laid, Rey could only see the upper half of Kylo. His hands were tightly gripping both of her breasts now, as if clinging to dear life. She couldn't understand why until she watched him adjust himself._

_A moment later, she felt a fiery sensation in between her legs and began to realize what Kylo was doing._

_Rey's knowledge of sex came from unusual circumstance, at least for growing up in Jakku. One of the few memories she ever had before her mother's departure was of accidentally watching a porno movie on the television. Unkar had been out and her mother was too high on the couch to realize it was even on in her daughter's presence._

_Looking back on it Rey was soon able to understand many things, like the noises that her mother and Unkar made in the bedroom at night while she struggled to sleep on the living room couch, or lewdness behind Unkar's many insults at her._

_She was supposed to feel pain when Kylo enters her, but for some reason, she doesn't. And now with every new thrust, Rey could feel the world shaking around her. She shouldn't be feeling this good about it._

_“Rey...”_

_The whisper did not sounded like Kylo at all. She tried to ignore it._

_“Rey...”_

_Then it hit her. Kylo didn't know her real name. How could he…?_

“Rey!”

Her eyes bolted open. A strong grip on her arm kept her from leaping out of the bed. And then she saw Ben looking down on her.

“Sorry,” he said softly, letting go of Rey's arm. “It's almost sunrise.”

Rey was looking nervous, confused, ashamed at the dream she had just woken from. But she couldn't let Ben know. How would he feel if knowing that she just dreamed of fucking a well known serial killer...and that a part of her actually enjoyed it? 

How could he possibly understand how twisted her mind was right now?

Rey had quietly went into the bathroom to change into her freshly cleaned clothes. She retrieved her money from under the sink. The bundle felt a bit heavier than last night, but it had been a very tiring night for her mentally. She was just grateful that no matter what happened today, at least she'll be able to eat. 

But both her and Ben were genuinely concerned as to what would become of her...what would become of them both. And then there was Unkar's plan. The last thing Ben wanted was for Rey to get caught up being used at bait tonight. “You should stay here,” he told her.

“I can't. You know this will be the first place he'll look,” she said. “He's going to kill you. You need to get out of Jakku while you still can...before it's too late.”

Rey didn't realize that she was crying until her vision began to blur in her bruised eye. She was about to wipe the tears away herself, but Ben's hand came to her cheek first. 

“I'm not afraid of him.”

But Rey thought he was being careless, underestimating how far Unkar would go when Ben had been such an innocent man...a kind man...a person so rare in Jakku. If anything were to happen to him on account of her, Rey would never forgive herself. 

“I didn't take it,” she said, and somehow Ben knew she was referring to the crack he saw her with before. “I was so desperate, but I couldn't...”

“Rey...” Ben's eyes had been so forgiving making it even harder for Rey to look at him. His hands were on her waist. And she made no effort to fight it as he gently pulled her close to him.

Yet something about the feel of his hands on her felt eerily familiar.

“You okay?” Ben asked when she started to stiff at the thought.

Not enough sleep last night, Rey thought. That had to be it. “I'm fine, Ben. I should go now.”

Ben didn't know where she would go. And he couldn't warn her to stay away from the club without spilling the beans to her on everything. He could only trust that she would look after herself, and maybe tonight, she'll return to him. 

Still, Ben scribbled down the address to the First Order Tobacco shop for her...just in case. He looked out the window and checked the alley one last time before helping Rey make her exit back into the streets.

__________________________________________________________ 

Ben still had a couple of hours before he had to be at work. As the sun was rising, he went walking around the many blocks of Jakku until he managed to spot a construction site across the street. He wondered if this was the place...the mission Rey had spoke of.

An old man was walking toward the gate and was unlocking it. Ben watched it all from the shadows. He was mentally begging him to turn...to show his face.

And the man did. Luckily he could not see Ben, but Ben could see him.

It was unusual coincidence, he thought. But when Rey spoke to him of a mission, he knew that only one man would be behind such a project in a desolate place like this.

He had almost forgotten all about his purpose. Rey truly had been a distraction but now he could see it in his sights, just across the street.

He had finally found Lor San Tekka.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so...not to worry Ben hasn't forgotten about the whole Unkar setting a trap for Kylo Ren. And he sure as hell isn't gonna let Rey get into that mess. You just have to see what he does about that in the next chap. ;)


	10. Fulfillment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I may or may not have written a blow job scene in this chapter.
> 
> There's only one way to find out... ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience. I should forewarn you that there are only about 2 maybe 3 chaps left of this story. But there will be payoff for it, that I can assure you.

The snow hadn't let up like Rey thought it would. Still, it looked beautiful all the same, and she'd be damned if she didn't try to catch any snowflakes on her tongue.

Circumstances being as they were, Rey had to remain out of sight. The weather wasn't going to stop Unkar or any of his lackeys from looking for her. She could spend the entire day in the corner of the run-down cafe she was in to keep warm, even eat with the money she had.

Should she even go back to work tonight? What if Unkar was waiting for her? 

What about Kylo Ren? 

It wasn't the consequences that could come from standing him up...far from it. But a part of her couldn't end an encounter like that with just what happened last night. The idea of love or affection was a foreign concept for her and yet she couldn't stop thinking about the way he touched her...how he kissed her...how he had chosen her over all the women in Jakku because he believed she was capable of soothing him. And now, he had entered her dreams, making her want to explore these feelings even more than she could possibly understand.

She tried to shake them off, beat them from her mind. Years of loneliness had warped her mind. She had to think about the money instead. If he kept paying her as much as he did last night, she would be able to eat for a year...maybe a few more years.

By late afternoon, Rey was finally forced out of the cafe. The club wasn't too far away but Rey wanted nothing more than to take her time. She could easily turn around and head straight to Ben's. She was ready to consider doing just that. The cold and the dread were becoming too much for her.

Then crunching sounds from behind her. Footsteps in the snow?

She turned around and nothing. The streets were deserted from the inclement weather. But Rey was taking nothing to chance. It was time to run.

A few steps into her sprint and there was no doubt someone was following her. Turning to look would only slow her pace. It made her think of the few times she ever tried to run away from Jakku. All of them ended with Unkar or one of his paid friends finding her and dragging her back to the apartment for a severe beating. 

This could easily be one of those.

The slippery snow was making it difficult to outrun her stalker and she was going to slip and fall but she was pulled back by the hood of her sweater into a dark building.

She tried to scream but nothing came out.

And then a light.

Kylo Ren was standing before her in a dusty old room of a derelict building. The windows were boarded up and the stacks of crates surrounding her was making her feel claustrophobic.

Rey gave the biggest sigh in her life. “Oh, it's you.” Did she really just say that to him?

“It seems our business together has been compromised,” he said.

And now Rey was beginning to feel unusually relaxed around him. “What do you mean?”

“They intend on capturing me tonight, using you as a bait.”

“Oh…” She said to herself. Of course Unkar wasn't going to take Kylo Ren intruding on his time with her in the club lying down. 

“We could consider a change in venue,” he proposed.

“You mean, here?”

The masked man nodded politely. “It would not be safe for you to return to the club.”

“I don't really have anywhere else to go. I'm sort of homeless at the moment...”

“If money is a concern, I am more than willing to keep paying you for our time.”

 _'This is crazy'_ , Rey thought to herself. What's even the point if she's not going back to the club? She doesn't need to meet with him anymore.

“What happens if I say no?” she asked him almost reluctantly.

Kylo Ren chuckled. “Still believe I would kill you?” As he reached a hand to touch her cheek, Rey felt it again...the strange sense of familiarity, that was more frightening than assuring. “Hard as it is for you to believe, I do enjoy our time together.” He leaned in even closer...to close for Rey even with the mask on. His eyes traveled down to the bite mark on her neck, gazing with pride at his handiwork. “And I can't help but think you feel the same.”

Rey wasn't going to respond to that. She wouldn't know how. Yet she could sense behind that mask, the man before her was taking some sick humor in this...because he had been right.

“I have no intention of coercing you into anything,” he said as he moved his hand away, pointing to the door. “If you don't wish to continue this arrangement, then you're free to leave. No harm will come to you.”

She was still feeling weary about this. Was this a ploy? Would he attack the moment her back is turned? Truth be told, Kylo Ren had yet to lie to her or trick her into anything. That's what made it all the more unsettling. Still, a lifetime of distrust compelled her to start walking to the door.

Where was she going to go after this, then? She couldn't hide in Ben's apartment forever. Unkar would eventually catch wind of that. She couldn't endanger Ben's life like this anymore. These small moments with Kylo Ren were all she had, and even this couldn't last forever.

Rey stopped as she considered the idea that was forming in her mind. It would mean betraying her virtue, the one that kept her going in Jakku all these years and almost lost in all in one week. 

But it could save her. It could save Ben.

It could bring an end to everything.

And it could be on her terms, she thought...if she did this right.

“You're...you're a killer, aren't you?”

Kylo Ren was silent for a moment, confused by what Rey was asking. “I am.”

Rey turned back to look at him, eyes pleading. “You would...kill for me?”

He didn't need to ask who she was referring to. He would gladly gut Unkar open, smear his guts in Jakku's streets. Hell, he'd do the same to every man in this place if she desired it.

To his surprise, Rey came up to him again, stopping just inches from his face. _'What was she playing at?'_ he thought.

And then, she got down on her knees, her head just level with his waist.

Kylo Ren felt his belt become loosened. “What are you...?” he tried to ask but it came only as a whisper. He was at a lost for words when he felt Rey's hands on his pants, slowly pulling them down. His boxers soon followed. He was torn between stopping her and allowing her to keep going. 

He had never been exposed like this before...not infront of a girl. He almost felt ashamed, like he used to when he problems releasing himself. His cock wasn't small by any means, but he still felt rather self-conscious about it.

The small soft hands that were on him now didn't seem to mind though.

Rey was nervous. She seemed to be fumbling more than rubbing, not having any idea exactly what she was doing. She had to resort to improvising since she never did anything like this before.

Soon, Kylo Ren's cock began to harden in her hands. Rey closed her eyes for one last moment. She could do this. She had to pay him for the job somehow.

On her terms, she reminded herself again, and she pressed her lips to his tip.

“Oh.” Kylo Ren moaned. He couldn't see much through his mask but god could he feel it. This was all new to him as it was to her. It felt almost ticklish the way her lips touched his member, but he couldn't express it out loud. It would make him seem weak.

Rey opened her mouth to take more of him in. He wasn't ready for it. He couldn't...the way her mouth was wrapped around him...the way her tongue danced all around his shaft.

“Re-Sandy...” He caught himself. That was a close one. He found himself leaning closer, compelling her to go deeper.

And she did so willingly.

He might have had low esteem about it but for Rey, it was bigger than she anticipated. She could feel the back of her throat react to the unexpected touch...trying desperately to not gag on reflex. The goal was too important for her to stop now.

“Oh...” Kylo Ren cried as Rey started sucking him. He was bulging fast inside of her mouth. A part of him knew this was wrong. Yet his hands were gripping Rey by the shoulders supporting her...urging her to keep going.

“Don't stop,” he pleaded.

 _'What are you doing?'_ a voice called to him.

_'Snoke? Get lost.'_

_'Stop this now!'_ Snoke berated him. _'You're supposed to be killing San Tekka tonight.'_

_'It can wait. Fuck you!'_

Just like it was when he came for the first time, he was moaning like a pathetic child...not from pain or fear, but from the greatest pleasure he ever had in his life.

“Oh god, I'm gonna...” Before he could even warn her, he felt himself burst inside her mouth.

Rey hadn't expect it. She didn't even have time to decide whether or spit or swallow, so she did as much of the latter as she could, fighting back the urge to cough it all out.

Her mouth were completely drenched and Kylo Ren was able to slide of out her with ease, signaling to Rey that she was done. She gulped the rest of the cum in her mouth and looked upon his completely dripping cock, still in disbelief as to what she had just done.

“Beautiful,” Kylo breathed. He didn't know what else to say.

They quietly cleaned themselves up. 

“So...” Rey asked.

“So?”

“What are you going to do now?”

He wanted nothing more than to serve her...to abandon the mission and go off and kill Unkar asap.

But Snoke was not giving up.

 _'She has ruined you,'_ he yelled at Kylo Ren. _'You are no killer! You are pathetic!'_

“No.”

“No what?” asked Rey.

Snoke was taunting him again. _'Remember the task at hand. Think of your uncle. You want him dead? San Tekka is the only way…'_

His uncle.

San Tekka knew where is uncle was and all this time he was wasting it on her. 

“I...I can't,” Kylo Ren said apologetically.

“What?! What do you mean you can't!” At first Rey was in denial of what he was saying. This couldn't happen. She couldn't have done what she just did for nothing.

“I'm here in Jakku on other matters,” he said. “You were merely just a distraction...”

“A distraction!” Rey cried. “I only did that cause I hoped you'd...”

“I do not expect you to understand. Just know that others are a priority.”

“Priority, huh? Don't let me keep you from it then!”

As soon as Rey stormed out, Kylo Ren was shaking. His head was in pain. “What have you…?”

“I did what needed to be done,” said Snoke. “Though now that I've seen her in action, I could see why you've been so distracted. She is quite the dish. I didn't even think she could take that much...”

“SHUT UP!” Kylo pulled out his sword and swung it at all the crates in the room. Kylo felt himself becoming weak...becoming Ben again. 

“Oh would you calm yourself?” Snoke moaned. “We have a job to do. Now let's get to it before it's too late.”

__________________________________________________________ 

Rey felt like a fucking idiot. And now she was too distraught. At least there was no point in going back to work anymore.

But even if she no longer cared about Kylo Ren, there was still the matter of Unkar...and Ben. If she didn't show up tonight then Ben would surely be the one to take the fall for it and Rey couldn't allow that to happen.

If she couldn't get a serial killer to solve her problems, then she would have to do it herself.

She hurried to a block that seemed to be shrouded in darkness with only a blue neon sign glowing in the distance. Thank god, it was still open.

She stepped inside the dimly lit shop. Only one bored unseemly man was behind a counter. He nearly jumped at the unexpected customer. “What the hell? I was just about to close!”

Rey pulled out all the money Kylo Ren had given her from the night before and placed it on the counter. “What can I get for all this?”

The man seem confused, looking at the cash, then at her. Eventually his slow-witted brain got to counting the cash and said “that ain't a whole lot, Missy.” He tried to ignore the desperation of the young customer before him but eventually cracked. “But I might have something used in the back. Wait here.”

After a few minutes he returned from the back storage room with a small box and opened it infront of Rey. It was quite small, Rey could almost hold the entire thing in her hands. 

“They don't make 9 Millimeters like this anymore,” the man said. “Might not do ya much good if ya get caught up in a shootout.”

The pistol felt really light in Rey's hands as she tried to work out how to use it. The man behind the counter gave her a suspected look. It seemed apparent to him that Rey had no idea what she was doing. But he was just an arms dealer and he couldn't care less to what or who he was selling to. He placed a smaller box on the counter. “Ya get that much for now.”

“I'll take it,” Rey said as she gathered the gun and the rounds. “Thank you.”

“Hold on a sec...I think I've seen ya before...'heard about ya at least. You're _his_ girl aren't ya?”

Rey froze. She didn't think Unkar knew everyone in Jakku. This wasn't even the only gun store in a mile radius.

But the man behind the counter wasn't looking at Rey's face so much as her neck. “Yeah...I heard rumors that Kylo Ren marked a girl at The AT-AT last night. I guess that makes me the unlucky one. Ya think he's gonna come out of the bushes and kill me now that I got a look at ya?”

Rey rolled her eyes. “I have no interest in being his girl.” Not after tonight, she thought to herself.

“Then ya better learn how to actually use that weapon you just bought,” the man said. “I don't think he'd take too kindly to ya sayin' that.”

“I'll manage. Good night.” Rey rushed out with the gun and bullets in a plastic bag. She would figure out how to load it later. 

She took out a piece of paper from her pocket, the one with the address to the First Order Tobacco Shop. It was only a few more blocks away. She would see if Ben was there. She needed to see him before she did anything drastic.

“Ben?” She looked around the store but saw only a large woman with a short blonde cut stocking a shelf. “Excuse me, I'm looking for Ben. He works here, doesn't he?”

Phasma looked the girl up and down. “Didn't know Ben had a girlfriend.”

“Ben? Girlfriend?” A man's voice called from the back and Hux appeared. He seemed to almost recognize Rey right away. “You...you're that stripper...”

“Hux!”

“It's not an insult, Phasma. She's the one who started that riot I nearly died in.”

“You got a few bruises and cuts, big deal.”

Hux looked at the girl and he seemed very displeased. “Ben was fired this morning...by me, after that mess. And good riddance! I always knew something was off about him. Completely batshit and...”

But Rey hurried out of the store before Hux could even say anymore.

__________________________________________________________ 

All the doors were locked, except one. It all seemed to easy.

The mission was dark except for a light seeping out from two large doors off to the side. Kylo Ren opened then and they led into a small chapel room, lit with candles along the walls.

Once Kylo Ren entered the chapel, he could see him...his target, standing there on the opposite end of the room, facing the giant cross on the wall. If this were any other man, Kylo Ren would have stabbed him in the back and be done with it. He had waited this long to find him. 

Kylo Ren stopped halfway down the aisle.

“San Tekka...”

The older man turned, but showed no fear at the presence of the mask intruder. “So you've finally found me. I've been expecting you, Ben Solo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Frustrated yet?


	11. Witness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're ready for this...

Rey took to a rickety old bus bench and began loading her new weapon. The plan she formed in her head was that she would wait for Unkar to return to the apartment...then she would shoot him in the head point blank.

It all seemed so simple and clean in her mind. So why were her hands shaking?

People killed all the time in Jakku. It was a survival mechanism, that much Rey knew. But she never thought that SHE would ever be in a situation desperate enough that it would come to this. She never thought that she could even afford a gun. But now that she held one in her hand, the prospect of committing cold-blooded murder was starting to frighten her.

Kylo Ren made it all look too easy.

And even if she were to kill Unkar...would that be the end? Would she be able to get away with it? She would be free from a lifetime of his terror and torment, but she could never be free of the Jakku life itself. She had been here too long and a life outside of it seemed beyond her reach now. Jakku had long ago taken the best of her.

At least there was still a chance for Ben to get out.

She was only able to get half of the bullets loaded in and decided that would be enough. On her long trek to meet her fate, she tried very hard to not think about how she had never even fired a gun or if her aim was even good enough for it. There was no time to practice.

At the end of one block, she stopped at the sight of a familiar looking mission.

Rey wondered if the old man was there this time. She never got the chance to thank him for showing her one of the few acts of kindness she ever received in her darkest hour. More importantly, she could really use a prayer...a counsel...as there was no guarantee that she'll even survive what she was going to do. Even if she did, it would still be at the cost of her very soul...though it wasn't as if there was much of one to hold onto at any rate.

As she approached the doors to the mission, she feared that it was still closed as the place was shrouded in darkness.

Yet to her surprise, Rey was able to pull one of the doors wide open.

__________________________________________________________

“I know why you've come,” said San Tekka. “Don't think I'd give you the information you seek so easily.”

Kylo Ren remained still. “I didn't expect you to. Though finding you was quite the challenge. Jakku is no place for ministry of any kind.”

“Are there not souls worthy of salvation here? No innocents in need of hope and mercy? Or are they all just bodies yet for YOU to eliminate?”

San Tekka seemed to show no fear in the presence of the very man who had been hunting him, and even worse was when he turned to stare at Kylo Ren...almost looking into his very soul.

It seemed of cruel coincidence that Kylo's thoughts had been on Rey at that very moment...how things would end between them...how after tonight, he would never be able to see her again. And then the old man smiled, being able to read him like a book. “Not all, I see. Your mask hides many things, my boy. But it cannot hide your doubt and hesitation. Even now...”

“Enough!” Kylo Ren struck his sword against one of the pews. The action did not shake San Tekka in the slightest.

The noise, however, did reach Rey as she was wondering around the lobby. She found the doors leading to the chapel and slightly opened one to take a peek within. Yet she could not believe what she was seeing.

Kylo Ren was here and he was waving a sword at the very man who had given Rey shelter. But what the hell was Kylo doing here? And how did these two men knew each other?

“You'll tell me where to find my uncle, now!” Kylo Ren demanded.

“And what will you do once you find him?” asked San Tekka.

“What I was meant to.”

“Really?”

Kylo Ren's voice was starting to shake with uncertainty. “You knew what happened before I came here. You've certainly read about it.”

“Killing your own father? Yes, I have. And I knew that it was you even if the police didn't. Your mother told me at the funeral that she suspected you as well.”

Both remained unaware that Rey was listening to every word just outside the chapel doors.

“From what I understand,” San Takka continued. “...you hold your uncle to a higher esteem than you did your own father. Yet killing him was not enough? Are you not yet satisfied?”

“No more questioning!” said Kylo Ren. “I know he hides from me and you know where to find him. You'll tell me now.”

“We both know how this will end for me, regardless. If you desire the information, seek it elsewhere but from my tongue.”

“I will.” Kylo Ren got close until he was just a foot away from San Tekka. The tip of Kylo's sword was just inches from the old man's chest but still he did not shake, he did not quiver, as if San Tekka knew that death would be coming for him tonight. And Kylo Ren had ironically resembled the Grim Reaper in every way.

“This doesn't have to be your fate, my boy. I sense something pulling at you...a longing of sorts. Perhaps there is still hope for you.”

Kylo was silent. The old man was doing it again...trying to breach his inner defenses.

“You're wrong.”

The blade came down upon San Tekka like a flash of light, slicing his torso open with such force, that his insides burst out from him.

Before the body even dropped to the ground, Kylo heard it...a gasp, a cry coming from within the chapel.

At the very end of the pews, stood a horrified, pale-faced, Rey. Kylo paid no more attention to the guts that began to spill onto the chapel floor. He could only look at Rey.

It was hard for her to imagine what Kylo Ren's kills were like. Now that she had witnessed one, she couldn't believe that she ever trust him. She couldn't believe that she even went as far as to…

But she had no time to feel disgusted. Kylo Ren was striding down the aisle towards her.

She took a few steps back...unable to think...unable to run.

And then she remembered the weapon in her hoodie.

The choice was easy. And now she was more furious than anything.

Kylo was surprised to find Rey armed. He would humor her anyway by pulling out his sword. Her lack of training proved to be his advantage as she pulled the trigger. The first shot missed. The second struck a candle.

She steadied her aim, and pulled the trigger again. A flash of light appeared and suddenly the bullet flew off to the side hitting a pew. Kylo Ren had his sword in an unusual position, and then Rey realized...he had blocked the bullet with his sword.

He seemed unstoppable. But Rey was not giving up.

She continued firing again. No matter how much her aim improved, the bullets always met his sword. There was not much else she could do than to keep distancing herself from him. But Kylo Ren kept inching closer remaining unusually silent. He was becoming strangely enthralled with Rey's anger and her desire to kill. It was as if he was seeing a whole new side to her today...a darker side...a passionate side...

The gun was starting to jam. _'One more,'_ she mentally begged herself, trying to get her gun to work again. _'One more...please!'_

The gun fired and Kylo Ren was sent to his knees, clutching his side.

Red was coming out of his black attire.

It should have made Rey relieved, but she was far from it. What had she done?

 _'Rey.'_ Kylo Ren should have felt physical pain in his side. But the pain seemed he felt had another source.

He got up and tried to reach an arm out to her.

But it only gave Rey a new reason to fear him. She stumbled backwards until she got to the chapel doors and hurried her way through them.

Kylo Ren was back on his feet. The bullet wound wasn't crippling, but his heart was a different story. Rey was gone now. San Tekka was dead. He would have to get out of Jakku as soon as he could and still was nowhere close to finding his uncle.

He hoped Snoke was happy.

There was little time to think on such things when it dawned on him...

...he knew exactly where Rey was now headed, and he had to get there first.

Fortunately, he knew of a short-cut. Soon, Kylo Ren was struggling to make haste through Jakku's darkened alleyways, fighting the cold wind's effects on his injury. He tried to let little blood escape as possible. The last thing he needed was to leave behind a red trail in the show.

One climb through the fire escape and he was thankfully back in his apartment. He took off the mask and most of his clothes to become the vulnerable Ben Solo once more. Then he limped his way to the bathroom to begin the painful process of removing the bullet from his side.

He let out a powerful groan as he pulled the bullet out.

There was no time to think about what was to come as he rushed to bandage the wound and clean out the blood.

**TAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAP**

_'Please be home, Ben...'_ Rey could only plea as she frantically tapped against the apartment window. _'Please, please, be home!'_

She was out of breath having ran all through Jakku to make it to Ben's in one piece. Kylo Ren had miraculously not caught up to her. She only had one bullet left in her gun and she needed that for Unkar.

The apartment was dark making Rey fear that her last salvation tonight was lost.

But Ben knew that she had arrived, and he quickly shoved the bloodied sword and clothing under the bed before putting on a new shirt and pants. When he turned the lights on and opened the window for Rey, she had never felt more relieved.

“Oh thank God!” She threw herself at Ben so quickly, that he could feel the pain in his side again, but he couldn't let Rey know.

“Rey? Rey, are you alright? What happened?”

“I saw...” Rey struggled to get the words out. “Kylo Ren...I saw Kylo Ren kill...”

“What are you...”

“I shot him, Ben,” she cried. “I shot him! He's gonna come after me...”

It wasn't easy putting on an act infront of Rey as she was now sobbing and shaking into his shirt, absolutely terrified at what happened in the mission (though he wasn't supposed to know about that). “No,” he whispered wrapping his arms around her. _'I wouldn't...'_ But Rey only dismissed his 'no' as his attempt to comfort her. After everything that happened today, he wished more than anything that he could reveal to her the truth about Kylo Ren, but he feared that would jeopardize everything he had been working towards for so long.

“Rey, I promise you...you're gonna be okay. You're safe here.” At least that wasn't a lie. She hugged him a bit tighter. She was going to make contact with his bullet wound if he didn't try to end the moment. “Do you...do you want to eat something?

She finally let go, wiping her tears with her hoodie sleeve. “No. I think...I just want to go to sleep now.”

For a second night in a row, Rey found herself sitting on Ben's bed. But after Ben pulled out a new pair of nightclothes for her, she could not bring herself to lie down.

“Wait...” she called out, stopping Ben just as he was about leave her be for the night. “I don't want to be alone tonight...please?”

“You sure?” Ben asked. No matter how long he had dreamed of getting into bed with her, this was an abnormal situation and he wanted Rey to be certain.

She nodded, a silent plea for him to come.

He took his place on the empty half of the bed. Rey removed her hoodie with the gun still inside, and carefully placed it on the nightstand.

The two were now lying just inches away from each other. Then out of compulsion, or maybe desperation, Rey shifted herself closer to Ben until she was practically lying on his chest. He almost panicked from the sudden contact but when he saw how much better she was feeling, how much calm it brought her, he started to relax and wrapped an arm around her.

The eery familiarity that Rey was having around Ben was now calming to her. She might be able to sleep tonight, knowing that she was safe here.

Ben knew that even if he couldn't tell her about Kylo Ren, there was still the matter of him needing to leave Jakku. If it wasn't for Rey, he would be on the next bus out right now. But he had not expected her to come into his life in the middle of this entire mess, and now he didn't know how he could even let or go or even say goodbye.

“Rey...”

**POUND! POUND! POUND! POUND! POUND!**

They jumped out of bed instantly. Ben and Rey looked at each other both recognizing the strength and the temperament behind the pounding. It could only be one person…

“Stay in here,” Ben whispered to Rey. “Keep out of sight.”

She wasn't going to protest. Rey kept low and behind the bed while Ben went to answer the door, putting an end to the constant pounding.

At least there was no acting with disgust and annoyance at the presence of Unkar. “You've seen her?”

“No.” Ben was about to close the apartment door on him but Unkar's strong grip kept it open.

“Then why don't I believe you?”

Ben refused to display the weakness he had in the blob's last visit, not with Rey just in the other room. Kylo Ren was all about using weapons but if Ben had to kill Unkar with his bare hands to keep him from entering his apartment, he would give it his all.

Rey couldn't really hear any of the conversation from her hiding place, on the floor by the bed. As she tried to calm herself her hand felt something off...something under the bed itself…

“The other night when you were at the club...we were supposed to fuck, did you know that?” Unkar asked Ben. “She was going to do it for money too. Little whore never showed and now she's been seen around with another man! Typical, huh?”

Ben wondered if Unkar was just asking to be killed for trying to taunt him again. “Are you done here?” Ben demanded.

“Oh, I could go on,” Unkar seemed to laugh. “Or maybe I should take a look around in there...”

“What ever happened to respecting people's property?” Ben asked taking a step forward.

“It is MY building. It should be my right!”

Meanwhile, Rey was searching curiously under Ben's bed. It was too dark to see but she could feel. Her fingers were nearly cut by something sharp. She pulled it out and found herself staring at a long bloodied sword. Then she pulled out black clothing that also seemed bloodied and torn.

The blood wasn't dry.

_'It can't be...'_

Her hands explored the pockets in the clothing until she pulled out a small black fabric. It unraveled in her hands. Rey recognized the handkerchief, the one Kylo Ren had given her to…

...and a dried white stain that smelled of…

She dropped the cloth.

She clasped her hands to her mouth to keep from screaming.

Ben refused to move even when Unkar seemed on the verge of plowing him over. Instead, the blob huffed, “I don't got time for this. Just thought you should know that she's not innocent as she seems. Of course you wouldn't. But I got to know her quite a bit after you left that night.” He chuckled. “So at least I have that...”

A fist came colliding with Unkar's jaw causing him to stumble out into the hallway.

Ben loomed over him and threw another blow.

Unkar came to his senses and quickly tried to throw one back. But Ben moved just in time and it led to a huge dent in the wall.

Tenants started peaking out of their rooms to see the chaos that was going on. Even though Unkar had more weight than Ben, the two men seemed equally matched as they wrestled and exchanged fists.

Eventually though, Unkar was able to grab a hold of Ben and this time, he threw him against clean wall. A crack instantly formed that nearly reached the ceiling.

Ben nearly blacked out as he now found himself limp and lying on the floor. His vision was blurred but he could taste the blood in his mouth.

Unkar took advantage of his weakness and his fist went straight for Ben's stomach.

It was almost enough to kill him...almost...

But Ben was still alive and more of Unkar's saliva was raining down on his face.

**“OUT!!! I WANT YOU OUT BY MORNING!!!”**

The peeping tenants were quick to retreat back into their homes once Unkar started storming down the stairs.

It was a struggle for Ben to get up just so he could limp back into his own apartment. When he got to his living room, he wounded up vomiting blood. He took a moment to collect himself. The silence of the apartment was making him more uneasy than he already was.

“Rey?”

He went into the bedroom and was surprised to find no sign of her. When he went around to the other side of the bed, he saw the black clothing and sword on the floor.

“Shit...”

Ben could only pray that it didn't mean what he feared it meant. But his eyes froze when he got to the nightstand. Rey's hoodie was gone.

“Don't move!”

He looked up to see Rey stepping out of the bathroom brandishing her pistol straight at him.

“Rey...”

Ben was backed into a corner. The horror on Rey's face said it all. There was no escaping this for him. It was over.

“You're...” she said shaking as she gripped her gun harder. “You're Kylo Ren!”


	12. Balance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get intense in the final chapter of this tale. Warnings for gore, attempted rape, and just plane dark stuff. Did you expect anything less from this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooooooooooooot! Lemme first apologize for how long this took but I didn't want to rush considering this is the finale and I wanted to get it right.
> 
> I also want to thank every one of you out there who supported me and the fic both on Tumblr and on here.
> 
> What does the future hold for me? Well we shall see if I ever come up with a new story. I don't wanna write anything new unless I am certain of a beginning, middle, and end like I was with this story.
> 
> You are all wonderful people.

“Rey...” Ben didn't dare to take a step closer to her in case she got trigger happy. 

“I should have known...” Her hands were shaking. She wouldn't be able to keep her grip on the gun much longer. “When you asked about my eye but not this...” She tugged at the collar of her shirt to expose the hickey. 

“Rey, listen to me...”

“No! Why should I?! You...you're a murderer! You killed that man in the mission!”

“I did.”

“Why?” Rey asked sadly. Ben knew then that San Tekka was the man Rey had spoken of. And even though there was a small amount of guilt, at least the task was now done.

“I had to…,” he said. “He was why I came to Jakku.”

“And you've killed others! Why didn't you tell me you were...”

“Kylo Ren was the only way I could see you the past two days.”

“I trusted you...” The horrible realization struck her as she was making the connection with him and Kylo Ren...what she did when they met in the abandoned building earlier. “Oh god! I...”

But Ben smiled. “I quite enjoyed it...”

“Don't speak!”

“Didn't you?”

Now he was the one making her feel cornered. “Stop it! That doesn't matter now. I'm gonna call the police. I'm going to...”

“It's useless,” said Ben. Rey didn't want to believe he was right. The handling of crime in Jakku was so lax. “Besides, why not just kill me here right now?”

“What?”

“I ask why don't you kill me? You were willing to try at the mission.”

“That was different...”

“It's not, Rey,” Ben said, taking his first step toward her. As he expected, Rey didn't pull the trigger. Deep down, she wanted to avoid killing him. “I saw it in your eyes. I saw your desire to kill me.” His hands could reach out to her. He was too close now. Just inches from her. “Truth is...I would have enjoyed meeting death by your hand.”

What the hell kind of serial killer was this? Rey thought. He had no problem killing San Tekka as quick as he did, yet he's been toying with her since the day they met. And now she was starting to feel sick. How could even have thought of the things she did about him...about the two of them?

Worse yet, Ben could clearly see the confusion and conflict all over her face.

“There's got to be a reward on you, isn't there?” she asked. “It'll all be worth if I turn you in.”

“Enough to free you from Unkar?”

“Stop it!” said Rey tightening the grip on the gun again. “We're not having that conversation here!”

“That's why you got the gun, isn't it? You planned on killing him?”

“I…I don't know.”

“Then that bullet would be a waste on me. Don't you wish to take destiny into your own hands?”

“Please don't…,” Rey cried. If this was all a mind game, then Rey was sure to lose it. She had no idea who Ben even was anymore. “You're no different from him.”

Ben took that as an insult. “You would compare what I do to what that man has done to you your entire life? Rey...I would never hurt you. If it were up to me, I would have killed Unkar a long time ago and taken you away from this awful place.”

Rey had not noticed until now, Ben's finger taking in a strand of her hair. She failed to react...to anything. This couldn't be Ben and yet he was speaking to her as if he was Ben.

“You have no idea what you've done to me, Rey...wonderful things…”

Rey couldn't look him in the eyes. Hers instead went down to the gun, barely dangling at her fingers. “What is...who are you?”

Ben replied, “Someone who's just looking for their peace...and I think I found it.” He was controlling every impulse in his body right now to not take in those lips like he did the night before. “If you wish to kill me, I won't stop you. But I don't think you want to, or you would have done it by now.”

“I'd rather...” Rey stopped. She didn't know what.

“You could have bribed me today with the money I gave you. But you didn't. You offered me something else...something you wanted just as bad. I understand, Rey...more than you know.”

“I don't know what you mean,” she said. But that was a lie. She knew exactly what Ben meant.

“You wanted him. You wanted Kylo Ren. The way you…”

“Please…” Rey turned her head away from him, unable to deal with what she thought was intentional humiliation. “Please, don't do this.”

“Then it's true.” Ben smiled. “And what if I were to tell you that he wanted you, too...from the moment he saw you?”

She could feel his breath on her but she didn't move. In silence, they acknowledge that they were both lonely people who only had each other, regardless of who Ben really was...regardless of what he had done. 

“And I know why. We're too much alike, Rey. We both know it.”

“I don't kill people,” she spat at him.

“And yet you bought that gun to kill Unkar, the one you're trying to kill me with. If it's what you really want, then let me help you. I can show you what you're truly capable of. Just give me the gun, Rey.”

She was still unsure.

“Please...give me the gun.”

Rey could not bear the idea of surrendering. With the gun in her hands, she wanted to believe she had power and control, but in truth, she had no idea what she was doing or feeling. And now here was Ben telling her everything she didn't want to admit to herself.

Reluctantly, her hand moved, and Ben was able to take the gun from her without protest. He stepped back, giving Rey her space and she looked at him as if she was seeing him for the first time. 

_'Kill her.'_

Ben looked up. Rey could not hear him, but Snoke's presence could not be ignored by him.

_'She knows too much now. You must kill her! Put her on the list.'_

“No!” Ben cried out, dropping to his knees. He had never gone against Snoke, against the list. But this time, the list no longer mattered anymore.

“Ben?” Rey saw Ben on the floor looking like a terrified child, being beckoned by some invisible presence. 

“I won't...” He kept saying to himself. “I won't...won't...”

“Ben, what's wrong?”

To her surprise, Ben was desperately trying to hand the gun back to her. “Take the gun, Rey. If you still wish to kill me, then do it!”

Rey took the gun back but only to put it aside. “No, Ben. I don't wish to kill you anymore.” She came to kneel at his level, placing her hands on his shoulders and that somehow calmed him. 

Ben's panic was fading yet he could still hear Snoke in almost a whisper, still demanding that he get rid of Rey and leave Jakku immediately. 

This was a side of Ben that Rey had been blinded to until now. Was this what compelled the killings? “Ben?”

His eyes darted everywhere. It took several deep breaths to get himself back to a calmer state.

Rey looked down and remembered. “I shot you..” She grabbed his shirt and lifted it up to see the bandaged wound on his side. “Oh god...”

“No damage,” he said smiling.

It was a relief to the both of them. And Ben, giving into that leaned his forehead to Rey's, and grabbed her arms in an act of great gratitude. “Do you see? Do you see how weak I am without you?”

“Ben...”

When she felt his hand to her cheek once more, Rey could not believe that she failed to recognize Kylo Ren in him sooner. The strange fluttering she felt at the touch had returned. It was distracting. She had no time to comprehend how close Ben had gotten until she felt his lips on her own. The kiss felt...tasted the very same as the one Kylo Ren had given her with closed eyes. 

Now she could see the two men truly were one in the same.

“Come, Rey. Leave Jakku with me. You will owe me nothing.” It was a desperate plea for them both. Ben was desperate to hold onto Rey as she was to get out of here.

“It's not that simple, Ben,” she told him. 

“Do you trust me, Rey?”

She took one long look at the weakened man before her. All this time Kylo Ren had been here, Rey never thought she would be the one to have such power over him.

“Yes...I trust you.”

“Because I am going to set you free. You will see, Rey, what I see in you.”

__________________________________________________________ 

The storm outside provided little light as she opened the door to the apartment. It was unlocked. Had he really expected her still after everything?

It had been many years since she stepped inside the place, yet so little had changed. The dated wood paneling was peeling from the walls. The ugly carpet had grown a bit of mold. She shuddered when she caught scent of the familiar burning that only reminded her why she had been so eager to escape this place and never come back.

She nearly collided with the couch she used to call her bed. It was now near rotting with much more tears than when she had occupied it. Before her mother left, Unkar made it strictly clear that the bedroom was off limits to her, so she had learned to adjust. It was a different story once it was just the two of them. And Rey was grateful that her instincts prevailed at such a young age, informing her to always reject his invites...his attempts to lure into a room he had once forbidden.

She could hear that voice even now telling her not to open the door...not to go into a room she fought to never see.

But the options would not come. Whether it was her knocking over something or the thunderstorm outside, she could hear him waking on the other side of the door. “Who's there?!”

She waited.

“I'm armed!” He yelled. “You got to the count of three!”

She opened the door before he could even start. Unkar was sitting there at the edge of his bed, in only his boxers and wife-beater. When Rey stepped out of the darkness, he finally lowered the shotgun he was pointing at his intruder.

And then came a deep menacing chuckle.

“So...you've finally come back.” He put the shotgun down and got up to meet Rey. “The streets too much for you?”

Rey said nothing, all she could do was look down with resentment. She had caught of glimpse of Unkar's bloodshot eyes and could see that he must have been high on something from only a few hours ago. Meth, most likely, since this wasn't the first she'd seen him like this.

“I bet you were hungry, too,” he said as he stuck a hand down his boxers much to Rey's disgust. “Well...you don't have to worry about that anymore. In fact, you don't have even have to go back to work. I won't let you starve like that ever again.” 

He took his hand out when he was certain he had gotten hard and Rey had no choice but to let that it graze her cheek. “But you've been too much trouble for me lately, messing around with that sissy-boy. I won't forget that. You'll have to be punished for a very long time...until you learn...”

She was struck with a powerful blow. Rey was thrown against the bed, landing on her stomach. There was little time to gain composure. She tried to push herself back up but it was too late. The whole weight of Unkar was pressing her down on the mattress and was determined to keep her there.

She might as well been squirming from underneath a rock. It was bad enough to feel every layer of his body trying to rub itself against her. Her hand struggled to reach for her pants pocket, but all she could feel was Unkar's hands scrambling for the hem of her clothes, attempting to perhaps undress her from the inside out.

Everything Rey ever feared up to this point had been miniscule.

Just as she thought she found her way out, a painful cry was forced out of her. Unkar was squeezing her breast so tightly that it could have easily been ripped out.

The cry seemed to be a turn on for him. “Was that a plea?” He asked. Rey could feel his drool landing on her ear as he laughed. “Girl, you know I love it when you beg! So go on...let's hear it.”

“Please, d-...”

“Yes? Please...?”

Then Rey felt it. Her hand had found her pocket and Unkar took the moment to slightly lift himself off of her in anticipation of her next breath. He even flipped her over to face him and was met with an unexpected fury.

In that moment of confusion, he failed to see the object she clenched in her hand.

“Please... **die**!”

With the grace of a flying arrow, the blade found its way through the many layers of Unkar's neck fat and straight for the weakspot. Amd Unkar was paralyzed without a voice. There was a strange amount of satisfaction from Rey when she saw the terror in his eyes and the blood slowly oozing out of him.

But she wasn't done yet. She pushed it deep, deep as the knife could go...turn while she did...and she worked the blade to slice through him like a raw steak, decapitate him if she could. 

The blood was more than she expected, along with all the spilling white substance that was likely his fat. It got all over the bed and on her. And soon, there was no more that could be done but to pull the knife out and roll off the bed before the giant mess could trap her again.

She curled herself on the floor, numb to the world. The body on the bed continued to quietly leak its grotesque fluids.

Rey began to emotionally shatter, but not by the act of what she had done. It was how she felt. Killing always seemed inevitable in a place like this but to feel good about it...and rather disappointed that she didn't make it painful enough for Unkar.

And Ben knew. He knew this was what she was always meant to do.

She was too busy crying to even care for the sound of footsteps entering the room. 

“Pick up your weapon.”

Rey peaked to catch Ben as Kylo Ren blending perfectly in the shadows. He felt it best to come this way in case he was spotted.

“I said pick up your weapon,” Ben commanded.

She look to the floor a few feet away to find the blood stain knife. Ben approached the bed to look at the damage Rey had done. “Deep.” He sounded quite impressed. “You could have cut his head off with a stronger weapon. I was worried, but you didn't fail. I expected no less from you.”

“Did it have to be so hard?” Rey asked him. “Why couldn't I just use the gun?”

“The police have to believe it was my kill,” he said. They both knew it couldn't be done in any other way. Of course he would have interfered if Unkar truly had overpower her. But Ben believed that Rey's emotions would be key to her success. And much to her terror, he had been right.

He knelt down beside Rey and took the knife from her. “Don't be afraid, Rey. This is what you're truly meant for. You did wonderful for your first time.”

“Back at the mission, was what he said true? You killed your father?”

Ben nodded but his eyes gave way to the fact that it was not a yes of pride. “It was supposed to make me stronger...to make me better at this. But I've become a weak man since then. The world fears me yet I haven't felt as powerful as my namesake.”

Rey had to ask in a soft murmur. “Does it ever get better?”

“I only kill out of need. But you...you have a great passion. I envy your desire. It is because of that, you were able to kill the man I couldn't.”

The truths were stinging at Rey, taking away any joy she should be feeling at finally freeing herself from her tormentor.

“Come.” Ben pulled her up and the two quietly trek back upstairs to the apartment.

The first thing he would do was to get the shower running. In any other circumstance, Rey would have showed hesitation from Ben helping her out of her clothes, but she remained silent, remained willing. Unkar's blood and guts all over her were still a reminder that she could not cleanse herself alone.

It felt warm and inviting to feel the water wash away the red that had stained her. 

She heard the door open and a splish-splash of a second pair of feet join in the shower. Rey realized that she had yet to see Ben truly naked...to see every part of him bare as she was. Her eyes took in every curiosity without his judgment. He had many scars but so did she. Their similarities now reflected one another, complimented each other. She could no longer deny that they were two halves that could be fitted whole.

Ben took to lathering her, every single part of her, and she shuddered with absolute pleasure. As the water rinsed away the bubbles from her skin, his lips took hold of her then providing new warmth. They found their way to her nipples, already hardened by the humidity. He pressed his lips to one and she squealed as his teeth began to softly nibble on the delicate flesh. It only intensified with his tongue lapping at the very tip.

He made sure her other nipple was not left unspoiled by him.

Two large hands grabbed Rey's hips. “Will you come?” Ben begged, that of desperation. “Will you join me?”

Rey knew she no longer had any obligation to Ben now that Unkar was dead. She could go her own way...be it to stay in Jakku or to go out into the world alone. But she was a girl without an identity, without a goal. Her whole life up to now had only been about surviving. There wasn't knowing anything else.

But with Ben, she felt a sense of purpose. Her curiosity peaked, she wanted to explore this darker world...this darker self that was truly her.

“Yes!”

A hand slid down to her thigh, lifting it up. 

“The world will fear you,” he promised her. “More than they fear even me.”

Ben was stronger than he looked and he was able to lift her until their hips met. She parted for him, let his hardened cock find its way inside her...and through blind loyalty, endured the pain of entry.

Ben could not breathe. He would savor a moment that he never thought would be his. He would know a woman's touch as he was truly meant to. And it was made all the more blissful by Rey wrapping her legs around him as he held her, his hands grasping her ass for dear life.

She began to ride him and the childish moans of a man had escaped Ben once more...and from Rey.

“Mine,” was the only word that could escape him. 

He never got a chance to breathe any word of being a virgin.

The seed burst from out of him, spilling into Rey and he knew he didn't have to.

__________________________________________________________ 

No one knew what became of the new guy from 21 or the girl from 24. Given the discovery of Unkar's body in his apartment, it was easy for the people of Jakku to assume that both had become victims (just like Unkar) of the fearsome Kylo Ren...only their bodies were never found, likely hidden in a gutter somewhere.

Yet the news would report on occasion of rumored sightings of Kylo Ren...sometimes leaving behind a corpse, other times not. 

But even more interesting were the rumors that Kylo Ren might have taken on an accomplice, a young woman who was seen spotted in the same areas that Kylo Ren was believed to have left his presence. 

Few would recognize the similarities to the girl who once lived in Jakku...except for a man who sat in his gun shop, remembering how he spotted a mark on her neck...a mark that only a man like Kylo Ren would leave on those he truly wanted.

Ben did not wish to seek out his uncle anymore...not since he had Rey. Snoke continued to be a nagging presence in his mind but Rey's company, her devotion to their lifestyle, made it easier for him to be tolerated. There would be others to take out. That he could not control. The list had no end. But Rey's lust for the kill made their work better. She accepted now what she was truly meant for and that would lead to her rise from apprentice to equal. And in turn all Ben had to do was to love her...to nurture her. Every kill they completed would be celebrated in the bed whether it was in some measly motel room or in the solitude of a campsite where it was just the two of them.

Because theirs was a balance that would shake the world to its very core.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End.
> 
> So...did I do good? :)
> 
> Thank you for reading.


End file.
